Defining Insanity
by YuGiOhGirl4ever
Summary: ON HOLD INDEFINITELY! The story is over and everyone is getting on with their lives. But that's not as easy as it seems. Especially if your the former holder of the Ring and your name is Ryou. Rated T for blood and language. Contains lots of insanity
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one: It Started with A Hair Cut  
Ryou Bakura's POV  
I wasn't sure when it really happened. The mind is a very fragile thing. _He_ knew that well. He counted on it. He enjoyed it. Although I wasn't 'Conscious' when he came out, I saw the results. Broken people with broken bodies and minds. All because _He_ either wanted some fun or wanted the Millennium Items. As it turned out, they weren't the only victims of _His_ sick games. You see, eventually I gained enough courage to resist _him_ taking over my body.  
It started when I met Yugi, Joey, Tristen and Tea. They became my friends and stood by me even though they knew I had a psychotic alter ego, who was actually the spirit of a five thousand year old thief from Egypt. I had great and caring friends. But there was a downside, Yugi had the Millennium Puzzle, which _He_ wanted. This, in addition to _him_ feeling such pleasure in torturing me, caused _him_ to want to cause them bodily harm. Many occasions he either tried or succeeded in sending them to the shadow realm. Thankfully Yami, Yugi's alter ego who was also the spirit of a five thousand year old pharaoh, always saved them.  
Yami could save them, but couldn't save me. Eventually, my alter ego grew tired of my struggles. So to amuse himself, _he_ tortured me. Not physically though. If he killed me or injured me too badly, _he_ wouldn't have body. So to torture me, he dragged me into my soul room. Before, I'd never been there, nor did I know it existed. It was a strange place but it reflected my soul. It was hard to believe though. It was so beautiful, despite the cracks in the walls. Those must have representing the emotional scars I was inflicted. It was all white, like a snow covered landscape. On the floor were pieces to role playing games, my favorite, scattered around. The room seemed to change every time I was dragged there. Different games on the floor, pictures sometimes appeared on the walls and some other things from my life. But not everything that appeared in the room was good. More cracks sneaked their way up the walls like snakes. The white walls dimmed until they became darker and darker shades of grey. Shadows clung in groups around the room, as if waiting for the moment to strike. Waiting to get to me. I guess it was from every time _he_ dragged me here to torture me. At first it was subtle, yelling, slapping me around, and smaller stuff. But it steadily grew worse each time.  
_ He_ somehow summoned a knife to him. It was long and razor sharp. I'd scream until my throat felt raw each time the blade was ripped across my skin. At the end I'd be lying in a puddle of my blood. How did I bleed when this wasn't really my real body? I don't know but I did. I couldn't die and when I'd wake up in the real world, I'd have no mark on me. No proof. I thought about telling my friends, ask them for help. _He_ would laugh at me. My thoughts were never private. Then he would torture me for even thinking about going against him.  
Soon I could take no more. I submitted. I let him do what _he_ wanted. Up until his final plan. I fought _him_… and lost again. The next thing I knew I was in Egypt, laying painfully face down on stone stairs. To my relief, _He_ was gone! I was free! I tried to stand but found I was so weak. I barely stumbled down the stairs without falling. _He_ had starved me. That was the final punishment. I found my friends at the bottom. I fell but Joey caught me. Then I heard the most wonderful news. _He_ had been defeated! I truly was free!  
I watched the pharaoh leave and we returned to Domino together. I was happy… for a while. But every waking moment I was afraid. Afraid that _He_ wasn't really gone. What if _he_ came back like _he_ always did? The Ring always came back to me. I couldn't accept that it was over. Soon my grades suffered as I lost sleep. I was afraid to close my eyes for fear that I'd wake up to find that my body was once again no longer mine. I feared my shadows and my reflection, thinking it was _him_. I knew no one could help me if it were true. The pharaoh was gone, the only person to ever be able to stand up to my alter ego and win.  
I slowly fell into madness. I took my fist to every mirror in my apartment. Shattered pieces of glass littered the carpet as I no longer kept it clean and tidy. I almost stopped eating. I only ate when my friends forced me. They knew something was wrong but didn't know what. They tried. Oh lord they tried to help me. But I pushed their help away. I didn't realize though. I did it without knowing. I stayed locked up in my apartment. I kept the drapes drawn over the windows so that I didn't risk seeing my reflection in the glass.  
Why was I afraid of my reflection? It was because each time I looked, I saw my image morphing into _him_! I soon heard his voice again, taunting me. I refrained from speaking as well. My voice was identical to his but softer, kinder. His was rough and mean. I heard it all the time now. I was foolish to think that I could ever be free from him.  
The day it happened, I went to school like always. I faked being alright so not to worry my friends. And for a while, I even tricked myself. I was smiling and feeling happy. I soon forgot all about my alter ego. It happened during the last period of the day. We were in study hall. In English we had to do a poster on a story we were reading in English rather than Japanese, as the class taught us. It was a story about a girl and some sea shells? I don't remember. It was rather dull but it was appropriate for our level of knowledge on the language.  
Joey, Tea and I were in a group together. Tea drew the pictures and I wrote out the words. What did Joey do? He was in charge of cutting out the pictures and gluing them to the paper. It was the only thing Tea trusted him to do. The blond wasn't very good at following instructions, like rules. Plus he got bored easily. So it was no surprise that the scissors got covered in glue. "Joey!" Tea said in exasperation. I couldn't help but smile as the blond apologized and tried to wipe them on his shirt. It was doomed to failure. "Now what do we do?" Joey said. "We wash them off." Tea said. Poor Tea. She has the patience of a saint and a nun.  
I volunteered to go wash them in the bathroom, forgetting about all the mirrors and how secluded it was. "Uh maybe I should go with ya." Joey said nervously. I frowned at him. "Oh come on Joey, don't be ridiculous. I think I'm old enough to go into the restroom without an escort." I said. I got up and walked out of the classroom without waiting for a reply. There was nothing to worry about, I told myself. I walked into the boy's restroom and ran the scissors under the water in the sink without incident. I shut off the water and made a mistake. I looked up, my eyes locking with that of my reflection's. At first I was met with surprised eyes that had a glint of terror hidden in their depths. However as usual it morphed into a twisted sneer, glaring eyes, more spiked wild hair that mine and the unmistakable glint of evil in the eyes. It was _him_. My mouth went dry. I couldn't speak nor could I scream.  
_Ryou you weak pathetic Mortal. What do you think you're doing? Do you honestly believe you can forget about me? Without me you are nothing. Nothing._  
I covered my ears. No. please no! I held the scissors so tightly it was a miracle that they didn't bend.  
_Ryou… no. Landlord. Yes. You are not a real person. You don't deserve a name! You're nothing but property! I own you!_  
No! No! No! No! I covered my ears against the on slot of his voice and maniacal laughter.  
_How bad of you to forget about me, Landlord. I have to punish you again._  
I backed up. I was soon stopped by the cold tiled wall. The bright blue paint on the walls above the white tile hurt my eyes when I tore them from the mirrors.  
_Look at me! Don't you dare look away from me!_  
I had to look back. I was afraid of him, no terrified. That fear made me obedient. I couldn't disobey. Thoughts of the old moments of torture came back to me and clouded my reason. It wasn't real and yet I couldn't convince myself of this. I couldn't get free of my terror induced haze.  
_I am still there, in your mind. Every time you look at your reflection, I am there. You and I were the same person. We look alike, sound alike… you are me and yet you're not. I own you. You are weak. That I why I own you. You exist for the sole purpose of serving me._  
I suddenly woke from my haze. His words were true. I looked at the scissors in my hand. I knew how to change one way he spoke of. I grabbed a lock of my hair. It was pure white like his but tamer. My eyes narrowed. "You used to. You are gone now. If you think I will let you control me again, you will be unpleasantly surprised." I said, my voice hoarse. I watched as I cut off a chunk of the hair. I brought the fistful of hair in front of my eyes and stared at it. I heard _him_ scream in fury. I released the hair and watched it flutter to the tiled floor. I grabbed another chunk and cut. And cut, and cut. Soon I felt lightheaded from the sudden release from the weight of my hair. It was now shoulder length. My hands dropped limply to my sides, the scissors barely hanging from my fingers. My hair was now shorter but the gentle spikes were still there and smaller spikes were formed at the ends of my hair. I looked back in the mirror. My alter ego was gone! I stared back at myself. But I barely recognized myself. I looked so different. The shock of what I'd done washed over me.  
I sank to my knees. What had I done? I laughed in relief. I would no longer see _him_ in the mirror! I'd only see the new Ryou. I wasn't Bakura anymore. I was the new and real Ryou. Suddenly my blood ran cold.  
_You little bastard! You think that will stop me! You will never get rid of me!_  
It was true. His image was gone but there was no way to get rid of his voice. It was in my head. There was one way. I'd never thought about this one way. It was always forbidden. If I was dead, there could be no voice. Suicide. Was that my only option? But I'd be dead and free. Maybe I'd catch a glimpse of my mother and my sister, Amane. Only a glimpse. They were in heaven and from what I'd been taught, people who committed suicide didn't' go to heaven. They went to hell. Hell or not, I knew that it was the only place I could go without being under _his_ control. I never believed in Hell though. So would I just fade away? Maybe I'd become a ghost. I'd always loved the supernatural. The thought of being a ghost was exciting. But _his_ voice made me snap back to reality. I'd take my chances.  
I looked down at the scissors. They weren't that sharp. I doubt they'd even cut my skin. I looked at my wrist, or rather the veins on my wrist. I had heard some people cut themselves to commit suicide. I could bleed to death. It was slow but convenient. I wanted this… didn't I?  
I was interrupted before I could even lift my hand. The door opened. I should have locked it. Joey looked down at me in shock. "Bakura, what are ya doing down there? What did ya do to your hair?" He said. He froze. He must have seen the crazed look in my brown eyes. The blond looked confused. "I- I- uh- I got distracted and- u-um." I said softly.  
Joey held out his hand. "Bakura… give me da scissors." He said softly but urgently. I looked down at them before looking back at him. "No." I said. "Bakura… give 'em to me." he said. "No you don't understand. I need them, Joey." I said. I moved them closer to my opposite wrist. "Need 'em for what?" Joey said suspiciously. He tackled me before I could stab my arm. He slammed my wrists to the floor above my head. I lay on my back, thrashing around, trying to get free. Joey tried to get the scissors but I held them too tight. "Bakura!" Joey yelled. "No! No! I need them! I-I need to be free from him!" I screamed. Joey froze. I stopped thrashing and looked up at him. Tears stung my eyes as they fell, rolling over my face and into my hair. "I-Is this what this is about? Ya want to hurt yourself because of the spirit of the Ring?" Joey said. I nodded. "Bakura, he's gone. He can't hurt ya anymore. He's gone." Joey said.  
I shook my head frantically. "He's not! He's not! I see him all the time. He's in the mirrors! His voice is in my head again!" I shouted. I thought he'd understand. But I was wrong. "No. No, Bakura. He's gone. Yami… Atem destroyed him. He can't come back. It's all in your head." Joey said. I saw it. He didn't believe me. He-he thought… "I'm not crazy." I said harshly. "You're not! You're just confused. Ok, man? I'm gonna help ya. Ya just have ta trust me." he said. I could tell he meant it. Before, I thought I was just a tag along. Someone who was a friend that didn't really matter. But I saw in his eyes that I wasn't like that. I was just as important as Yugi or Tristen. I sobbed. I relaxed my hand and Joey knocked the scissors out of them. They slid somewhere across the tile.  
Joey picked up my numb body and hugged me. He must have had so much experience from comforting Serenity. This was a side of him only his friends could ever see. His brotherly side. "Don't tell anyone. Please." I said when I calmed down enough. "But Bakura, ya need help." Joey said. I felt so tired. My eyes were sliding close. "No. Please. Please." I said weakly. "At least the others. We can help ya!" Joey said. "I'll tell them… when I can. Please." I said. The world was going dimmer. Why was I so tired all of a sudden? Was it all the emotion that had coursed through my system just moments ago? "Please…"

When I awoke I knew I wasn't at school anymore. I was on my bed, in my apartment. Tea was sitting in a chair next to my bed. I felt a wet washcloth on my forehead. "Hey, Bakura. You feeling better?" she said. "What happened?" I asked. Tea helped me to stand up. "You collapsed in the bathroom. Joey found you. He carried you home. He said you were sick." She said. I saw her eyes travel to my hair. I was relieved that Joey didn't tell her what really happened. "Yeah, you could say that." I said. "The others are here too. I hope you don't mind. But we saw how your apartment was. You must have not been feeling like yourself for a while. I know how clean you always keep it here. So the others are cleaning up a bit." Tea said.  
I could tell by her voice. She knew something was up. Tea was a smart girl. I gave her a weak smile. "Yeah." I said. "Do you want to talk about it?" Tea said. "I'm fine." I lied. Tea looked at me with kind but serious eyes. "Bakura, you haven't been yourself since we got back from Egypt." She said. I took a shaky breath as I heard that sinister laugh in my head. "I- I know." I said. Tea put her hand over mine. "You can tell me anything, Bakura." She said.  
I fought off the urge to laugh. Hysteria. I was losing it again. "Tea. You all have been so kind to me." I started. "Bakura? Are you alright." She said worried. My eyes were wide as I stared down at my lap. I must have looked real freaky, as Joey would put it. I didn't notice the others. They had come in. when I didn't' know. I laughed. It sounded strange and similar to _his_ laugh. It wasn't evil. Just… insane. "No. No I'm not… alright." I said gasping slightly. I could tell the others were tensed. "I-I've gone insane. A-Aha! Ha ha ha!" I laughed. I continued to laugh. Someone grabbed my arms and shook me. I stopped laughing and looked up into Joey's face. "Calm down." He said. "I-I can't! I didn't want to believe it before but I am crazy!" I said grinning. Something inside me had snapped.  
The grin vanished from my face and was replaced by a glare. My eyes were narrowed. "It's his fault! He's gone but he still won! He broke me completely! No!" I said. My face looked scared now. "H-he-he's still here! I can hear him! All the time!" I said. My eyes darted around. I expected him to jump out of the shadows. He never even had a real body and yet I suddenly expected him to. Tea was sobbing. Did I scare her? Or was she so sad from how I suddenly snapped. Yugi looked on in horror. Tristen looked like he didn't know what to do. Joey shook me again. I didn't mean to but I'd started laughing. So he had shaken me. "Snap outta it!" Joey said.  
Joey stumbled back as I swung my fist into his jaw. "D-D-Don't touch me! Don't you see? He's here! Y-you all need to get out! Before he hurts you!" I said. Tristen rushed forward to restrain me but I jumped up and head butted him in the stomach. He stumbled back. Evidently my insanity made me stronger than normal. "Please stop it Bakura!" Yugi yelled. I looked down at him in horror. "D-Don't call me Bakura! I'm Ryou! Ryou! We called _Him_ Bakura, remember? Remember, Yugi?" I said. I grabbed his arm. Yugi winced. "S-Stop! Bakura, you're hurting me! Please!" he said. I pushed him, yelling "I'm not Bakura! I'm Ryou!"  
I saw my friends on the floor, except Tea. She was frozen in her seat, terror in her eyes. I gasped. They probably thought I WAS Bakura! The evil me! I had hurt them! I stepped back. "Wait! Bakura!" Joey yelled. I turned and ran out of the room. How could I have done that to the people who were trying to help me? I ran down the hall to the kitchen. _His_ laughs were getting louder in my head. Was it possible that I didn't have control over my actions? Was I being possessed again? I didn't want to take the chance of staying. I had to end this now! I reached into a drawer and pulled out a long sharp knife. The knife itself was about half the length of my entire arm. I sliced along my wrist, wincing at the pain.  
It was a funny feeling. The blood was warm and it ran down my hand like water. I made a few more slices and switched to my other arm. I heard my friends crash into the room. They gasped in horror at what I was doing. I held out the knife at them threateningly. "Don't come near me! I don't want to hurt you!" I said. They backed up as I walked toward them. I had to get out before I lost control again. "W-Wait, R-Ryou. D-Don't do this!" Tristen said. I shook my head and put my other hand on the door handle. It was slippery from my blood but I was able to open it. "I have to. I love you all. I can't risk hurting you. Good bye." I said. I ran out the door.  
They ran after me. I was sluggish from blood loss but I could still out run them. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing. I ran out of the building and down the street. They pleaded with me to stop. I wouldn't. I couldn't. I had to get away and finish this. For their sake and mine. I suddenly made like I was turning left but turned right. They skidded past the road but turned and ran back. I found myself running to the park. Somewhere I lost them in the trees. I hid behind a tree, hearing them yelling out my name.  
_Well well well. How interesting. Running as usual, Landlord._  
I kept quiet. He wanted me to speak so that they found me. I wouldn't let them get hurt. I stumbled away from the tree and started walking. That's when I heard his footsteps behind me. Logic had left me all together now. I thought he was behind me. I stopped. I felt something icy around my throat. Had I been in my right mind, I would have realized it was my imagination. But in that moment I thought he had his hands around my throat. I panicked. I clawed at his hands, not realizing I was really clawing at my own throat. I gagged as blood filled my mouth. I was frightened and angry. I didn't want to die by his hands! God damn it! I want to die by my own hands!  
I had dropped the knife. I saw it gleaming in the moonlight. I hadn't realized it was night. I leaned over and vomited blood. I fell over. I landed face-down on the grass. I shuddered and lay still. I knew I was dying. I cursed in my fogged mind as the others found me. I hadn't wanted them to see. They must have called the cops because everything was suddenly bathed in red and blue flashing lights. My vision blackened as I was put onto a gurney. They were shouting but it sounded like a dull buzzing sound to me. They tried to stabilize me as the ambulance sped toward the hospital. I didn't care anymore. My friends were safe… and I couldn't hear his damned voice anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Help

A/N: sorry for the lack of updates. I totally forgot I was posting this up here on . I do have it up to date on and I update that as soon as possible. I will try to keep up to date here but I can't promise that I'll remember that I have it here. Anyways. Enjoy!

I was in a coma for three weeks, that's what they told me when I finally came to. I had crisp white bandages on my arms and around my neck. I tried to move to remove them as they itched but I found I couldn't. I was tied down. I sighed wearily. I wasn't dead. I remembered it all. For some reason I was in a better mind now. The insanity almost gone. But at night I'd have what they called "episodes". I would scream at the top of my lungs many times a night. I'd hear _him_ again and scream. I'd thrash around but I couldn't move because of the restraints. It was all pointless.  
My father came home from Egypt finally. He visited me everyday even when I was in a coma. He talked to me, told me I'd be alright. Then he'd blame himself for not being there for me. I'd always scream at him. I told him it wasn't his fault but _his_ fault. I told him about the ring and about the evil spirit in it. Of course he didn't believe me. After all, I was insane. He still stayed and listened. When I'd run out of breath, he'd comfort me and say that _he_ wasn't real. I was sick, he told me. He also said soon I'd get the help I needed.  
My friends weren't allowed to visit me while I was in that dreaded hospital. Why would they even want to? I'd hurt them. Still I was told that they asked about me constantly and still tried to sneak in, always getting caught. The fourth day I was awake I slipped back into insanity. I laughed crazily and screamed at anyone who came near me. My moods would do 180 degrees. I'd be happy then sad, then angry then scared. Then I'd be suicidal than normal. Being normal lasted a few minutes before I'd go insane again. They'd have to sedate me to calm me down. So most of the time was a haze induced by the meds.  
One day, when I was in my normal state of mind, my father came in with a nurse and a doctor. I'd never seen the doctor before. My father cleared his throat as he adjusted his glasses. His dark blue-ish hair was pulled back into a pony-tail. He looked nervous. "Hello, Ryou. How are you doing?" he said. He was choosing his words carefully, too carefully. I smiled at him, like I used to but I kept my guard up. "I'm doing well. What's happening?" I asked. My voice was the way it used to be. This was after all, my normal state. "This is Dr. Ooishi." My father said gesturing to the Doctor. I smiled. "It's nice to meet you sir." I said. I wished I could shake his hand. It was common courtesy. I wished I could at least bow. So I nodded my head slightly. "Hello, Ryou. It's nice to meet you as well. It's nice to see you… so calm." he said. I looked sheepish. "I'm very sorry for my behavior, sir. I don't know what's wrong with me." I said. _Liar._ I thought to myself. I knew exactly what was wrong with me. But no one would listen.  
"Dr. Ooishi believes he can cure you, Ryou." My father said. His eyes looked wet. Please don't cry for me, father. I don't deserve it. "Really?" I said excited. Could he finally make Bakura go away? I was now calling him Bakura. It seemed he had less power over me that way. The man nodded. "Yes. I want to bring you to my clinic for treatment. I hope that in a few months you'll be right as rain again." Dr. Ooishi said. I didn't care that he actually meant to say that I was going to be shipped off to a looney house. I felt tears of pure joy gather in my eyes. "Please! Please sir!" I said. My father looked relieved and overjoyed to see that I was happy and calm about this. "I want this! I want this so bad, sir! I want to be normal again." I said, crying. The man smiled. "That's good. Very good. My clinic is a very nice place, Ryou. It's in the mountains, away from the noise and pollution of the city. It's called Havenbrook. There you'll find others like you who will help you on your way to recovery. We have many activities you can get involved with in addition to your treatment. You will also continue your school work there. You won't be behind anymore." He said.  
This place sounded so nice. I wondered if I were dreaming. "Thank you, sir!" I said. "Yes. Don't worry about anything, Ryou. You'll be better in no time." He said. Suddenly I felt myself slip again. I didn't want to stop being myself! But I couldn't help it. It was like someone threw a switch. Which mood would I be in this time? It was clear as I felt burning inside. Anger. Dr. Ooishi noticed. His smile was replaced by a frown and he scribbled something onto his clip board. How dare he judge me! He doesn't get it! I am not sick! I'm possessed! There is a difference! I won't go! I won't! "You fucking bastards! Don't come in here telling me lies! I'm not going to that damned place! I'm not sick!" I yelled. I tugged on the restraints, willing them to break. They held, just like they always did. I saw the pain in my father's eyes. I didn't affect me. It just made me angrier. "God damn it!" I shouted. I began screaming like an enraged animal.  
"Pleas, Ryou! My son! Please calm down!" My father cried. I glared at him. "Why should you care? You left me! You left me after mom and Amane died!" I yelled. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he said. I snarled at him. "No you're not!" I yelled. I saw Ooishi scribble some more. "Shove that god damned thing up your ass!" I yelled. Ooishi nodded to the nurse and she pulled out a capped syringe. I snarled again. I looked right at my father and said what I never wanted to say ever again. "Fucking die! Die like they did! Fucking die! Die die die die die!" I yelled. I kept repeating the last words, thrashing around in my restraints. I felt a pressure in my arm, were the IV was connected. The nurse had injected the sedatives into the line and it was now rushing into my system. Suddenly the fog cleared from my mind. I gasped and started to cry. I finally could see the hurt on my father's face. My vision started to blur. "F-father, I-I-I'm- I'm… sorry." I felt my head fall back onto the pillows. "We'll prepare to transport him immediately. He'll be in good hands, Mr. Bakura." I heard Dr. Ooishi say. "Yes. Please. Help my son." My father said. I smiled slightly as I sank lower and lower into sleep. My father did care about me.

I woke up in the ambulance. Unlike last time, the sirens weren't blasting and no medics were trying to stabilize me. I turned my head and saw Dr. Ooishi. He smiled at me. "Feeling better, Ryou." He said. No. I was extremely depressed and at the moment I wished I could die. Great. Mixed up emotions. Sad Ryou and suicidal Ryou in the same room. Hello! "M-My father. Where is he?" I asked, my voice cracking. "I have sent him home. You aren't well enough to see him. It would just hurt you again." Dr. Ooishi said. "oh." I said. Tears slid down my face. "You didn't mean it son. He knows that." Dr. Ooishi said. I sighed sadly. "But it still hurt him. I always hurt someone." I blurted out. Dr. Ooishi scribbled on his clipboard. Did he always have that thing? "Tell me, Ryou. When did this start? I know we aren't at the clinic yet. But I want to know so I can form the best plan of action to help you." He said. "Weeks ago. I got back from Egypt." I said. Dr. Ooishi nodded. "And what were you doing in Egypt." He said. "I was kidnapped by an ancient spirit that needed my body to defeat his nemesis and destroy the world. You don't believe me. That's fine. I'm used to it." I said. Huh. I wonder if there's a truthful Ryou somewhere in my head. Because he might be out now. "I… see. Thank you, Ryou. It will be a few hours until we reach Havenbrook. Would you like something to help you sleep until we arrive?" he said. I sighed. He didn't believe me. I nodded. Sleep would be good.

I woke up when the ambulance stopped. Dr. Ooishi jumped out and returned with two burly looking men wearing white clothes. They wheeled my gurney out into the sunlight. I shut my eyes tight against the glare. I didn't open them again until we were inside. The sight astonished me. It looked like a fancy hotel rather than an institution for the mentally ill. The walls were painted with reds and golds. This was the front room we passed a desk that looked like a check in. I wondered if I was still sleeping. We passed through the doors into a room filled with comfy couches. There was a piano in one corner and a TV in another. On the far wall were windows looking out over a lake. The windows extended to the high ceiling. The room was painted a royal blue with silvers. How calm yet sad. I noticed a pool table and an open arch leading into what looked like an arcade.  
Dr. Ooishi smiled at me. "Don't worry. Once you're settled, you'll get a full tour." He said. I frowned. "Where is everyone?" I said. "They're in their rooms. When we get new "guests" here, we like to introduce them quietly and let them meet everyone when they're settled." He said. I nodded. This place didn't look so bad. It looked pretty nice. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.  
We passed through more doors and into a long hallway will doors lining in intervals. They resembled fancy prison doors. The ones used for those in solitary confinement on TV. Towards the middle, we stopped and the men unlocked the door. They wheeled me in. I noticed as I passed the doorframe that my room number was painted on a plaque with my name on it on the doorframe.  
My room was white. All white. It hurt. So bad. There was a bed along a wall and nothing else. On the bed was clothes folded into a pile. More white. There were no windows either. There was a door that led into a small bathroom but it too was plain. "Don't worry. This is temporary. Once you've made progress, you'll move into a new room. You'll even have a roommate." Dr. Ooishi said. "Let me guess, this is so I don't hurt myself or others." I said. The doctor nodded. "I will leave you now. These nice men will help you into your clothes. Then later I will have someone bring you a nice hot meal." He said.  
Dr. Ooishi left, closing the door. I suddenly felt afraid. Not terrified. I wasn't in that state. But I was scared of these strange men. I was small and looked almost feminine. What if they weren't that nice? What if they tried to rape me? No I'm being silly! The men un-buckled my restraints and helped me to stand. I was wobbly, since I haven't moved except to struggle before. One held me tightly as the other stripped me. They didn't need to. I was in my normal state of mind now. I could do it myself. I wouldn't hurt them. Besides, they'd be more likely to hurt me than I hurt them. They put white pants that looked similar to scrubs. Then a t-shirt was slipped over my head. The next item terrified me. A straightjacket. "W-wait! I don't need that!" I said. They didn't listen. I gave up and let them put it on me. It was for my own good, I told myself.  
It was strange, not being able to move my arms. They helped me sit on my bed. Thank god it was comfy. "Thank you." I said kindly. The men left without saying a word. "Hmph! What pleasant chaps." I said. I wondered how long I would have to wait to eat. I was starving. I had eaten nothing since that night, when I went insane. Sure, I'd been fed via IV but I wanted real food. My stomach growled to emphasize this. I sighed.  
An hour passed; at least that's what I thought. Still no sign of anyone with food. I wondered briefly if they'd just let me stay here for days until I died of starvation. Briefly. I knew that wouldn't happen. But I still thought it. I wanted to groan as my emotion did yet another change. I'd been normal for well over an hour, a new record. What would it be this time? I gasped and my eye widened as I heard Bakura's laugh. I wanted to cover my ears. But I couldn't. I just sat, shaking in fear.  
_What did you get yourself into this time? Hm, Landlord?_  
I shivered as fear over took me. I whimpered. Bakura laughed again.  
_I am so sorry. I didn't catch that. What did you say, landlord?_  
I slowly rocked myself. I tried to will myself to stop listening. But it didn't work. It was a voice in my head. It didn't work ever. I was so scared. I wanted to go home, suddenly. I wanted to be out of here and back in familiar surroundings. I wanted to go to school like normal and see my friends. But this time without Bakura. Bakura growled at me and I whimpered.  
_I heard that, Landlord. If you want your friends so badly, I will take you to them. Yes. I'd just love to see little Yugi again. Ahahahaha!_  
"N-no! Leave them alone! Torture me instead. Like in the past!" I said. If I had been normal, I would have told myself that he wasn't real. My friends were safe, far away from me.  
_Alright. I will tell you what, Landlord. If you say you're sorry, one thousand times, I won't go after them today. I'll just stay here and torture you. Sound good?_  
My eyes widened. H-He would do that? I automatically started saying it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said desperately fast. He laughed, enjoying it. Tears feel from my eyes.  
_Faster! Louder!_  
I started almost screaming it out, saying it so fast it would have made Joey's sugar rushes seem like slow motion. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I yelled, slamming my eyes shut. I repeated it over and over again. His laugh increased until I could barely hear myself. I felt something shaking me. "Ryou! Snap out of it this instant!" someone yell. Bakura's voice went away and I opened my eyes to see Dr. Ooishi standing in front of me, a worried look on his face. His hands were on my shoulders. My eyes darted around, expecting for Bakura to pop out of the shadows. But he never did. "Ryou! Look at me!" Dr. Ooishi urged. I complied. "What happened, Ryou? Who was it you were talking to?" he asked.  
I took a shuddering breath and tried to collect myself. "It-it was him! It was Bakura! He's here! He wants to hurt my friends! Don't let him near them!" I said, my eyes wide and wild. "No, your friends are safe. You are safe. Bakura isn't' real. He's a figment of your imagination. You created him when you became sick." Dr. Ooishi said. I was stunned. He didn't believe me! My friends were in grave danger! Why won't he help them! "No! You're wrong! He's real!" I yelled.  
Dr. Ooishi displayed great patience. "No he isn't. Ryou, listen to me. You made him up. There is no such thing as a five thousand year old Egyptian thief spirit trying to take you over. You-" he started. Half way into his sentence I couldn't help myself. I started laughing uncontrollably. I didn't know what was so funny but I just couldn't stop! It felt kind of good, to laugh. Even though I couldn't breathe well in between my giggles. "H-How did y-you know I-I was talk- talking to h-him?" I tried to ask in between fits of laughter. Dr. Ooishi looked at him, assessing what he would do. "You are being surveillanced. For your protection there is a camera hidden in the room." He said. I laughed harder. I was on TV? So cool! "Ah! Ah ha! Ha! That's- that's great! W-where?" I asked. I want to know in case they wanted a close up. "That is a secret, Ryou. Now please calm down or we'll have to sedate you." Dr. Ooishi said. I couldn't. I just kept laughing. So a needle was stuck into my neck and I was out very quickly.

That was my first day in the facility. It was the same for many days. I went through many emotion stages. Each day, several times a day, Dr. Ooishi came to visit and treat me. For a few months it was the same way. I showed no real progress in his eyes. I was the same old crazy Ryou. Still hearing a dead man's voice. I was brought food and water and people, nice and pretty nurses also came to feed me. It was embarrassing, to tell the truth. I hoped I'd get well soon. At least enough to have more human contact. I want to see the others here. I was lonely. I hated to feel lonely. It made my anger flare a lot.  
Soon though, I came up with a plan. Dr. Ooishi was trying to convince me that Bakura was not real. So why didn't I start telling myself that. I would work to convince myself that he wasn't real. It was for the best. If I forgot him, I'd be normal again. It wasn't easy but I found that if I just told myself that he wasn't real, I would be in my normal state of mind more. I may never be able to convince myself this. But I can try.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: A friend is Made  
It was another month before Dr. Ooishi saw me fit to move out of my room and into one with a roommate. I was so relieved when he said this. I sat up a little straighter as a nurse came over and began to unbuckle my straight jacket. I grinned like a kid at Christmas. No insanity was behind my grin. Just pure joy. The nurse giggled. "Don't worry, hun. You'll be able to stretch in a moment." The brunette nurse said. Her nametag said Sakura. The last buckle was removed and I slowly slide the jacket off, so not to worry the doctor or Sakura.  
I stretched. Oh how nice it was to be free of that bloody jacket! I sighed contently and straightened my t-shirt. I frowned as I turned over my wrists, seeing the scars that had yet to disappear. They may never though. Dr. Ooishi put his hand on my shoulder. I gave him a thumbs up to show I was ok. Sakura handed me a pair of slip on shoes. Again white. I must look like a ghost. My hair is white and so are my clothes. I haven't seen the sun in months so my skin was a sickly white. I have a feeling I'll have to wear sunscreen even near a window or I'll get burned. I thought it was bad before.  
I slipped the shoes on. "I know they aren't the best, hun. But Dr. Ooishi tells me that as soon as you're a little better, I can give you some other colors." Sakura told me. I laughed. "Yeah. I probably look like a ghost right now. That sounds nice." I said. "Oh no! Not a ghost, Bakura-san. An angel." She said. I didn't flinch at the name Bakura. It was my last name nothing more, I told myself. It helped. "An angel? I doubt that." I said.  
Sakura just giggled. "Ms. Tojin. Please show Ryou around on the way to his room." Dr. Ooishi told her. Sakura nodded. Dr. Ooishi turned to me. "I have to go to another patient now. Please remember what I've told you. And remember to take it slow with people. I know you'll make many friends. If you have any problems, please tell Ms. Tojin and she'll inform me." he said. I nodded. Dr. Ooishi waved and left, leaving the door open.  
Sakura turned to me, excited. "Ready?" she said. I grinned and followed her out into the hallway. "First off. This is the solitary ward. It's for people who aren't ready to be around people. Like how you first were, Bakura-san." She said. "Ms. Tojin. Please call me Ryou." I said. Sakura nodded. "Ok, only if you call me Sakura." She said. I nodded. "Sakura I have a question. You seem to switch between English and Japanese formalities as well as languages." I said. Sakura smacked her forehead. "Oh dear! I'm sorry Ryou. I've been in America for the past four years before I became your nurse. I guess I just didn't notice." She said. "No it's alright. I speak English just fine. I lived in London for the longest time before coming to Japan." I said.

Sakura motioned for me to follow. We walked through the doors into the room I'd seen the first day I came. People were out there. There were a lot of people but it was far from crowded. I smiled as Sakura led me through. "As you can see, you can do anything in here so long as you respect everyone else and cause no problems. Fighting is not tolerated and results of the privilege of coming out here to the common room will be revoked. To the left is the gaming room. There you can find arcade games and just about any table top game you can think of. We hold annual chess and checker tournaments every Tuesday and Thursday." Sakura explained. Cool. I wonder if anyone plays table top role play games. I miss playing monster world.  
Sakura led me across the room to another doorway. It led outside. "Now you can't go out just yet but when Dr. Ooishi gives the ok, you can go outside. But to go near the lake you need me or an aid to follow you. For your safety." Sakura said. I nodded. It looked nice out. I guessed it was about July now. We walked past the door and down another hall. "Here are the rooms of most of the patients here that don't need to be constantly monitored but still need to be watched by someone. Thus roommates." Sakura said.  
I noticed that the doors were still the same as from his first room. I hoped the rooms weren't white again. Everything else was color so why so much white in the rooms? I could hear music coming from one of the room. I smiled. It was a nice song called "Genki no Showaa" I believe. It was one of Tea's favorite songs. Thinking of my friends made me a little sad. Do they miss me?  
Sakura must have noticed my mood because she smiled at me. "How about the dining hall before I show you your room. It's almost time for lunch. It'll be a mad rush getting in line but I can sneak ya in first so you won't feel so stressed your first time." She said. I smiled. I was hungry after all. "Sounds great!" I said. "The dining hall is at the end of this hallway. You'll love the food. It's so good. Today's menu is keema curry I believe. Each day we have something different. Food from all over the world. You'll just go bananas over it!" Sakura said.  
Sakura was right. The dining hall looked like the school cafeteria from Domino High mixed with a homey feel and décor. The smell of curry hit me the second the door opened. I felt my mouth water. I went through the empty line. I of course loaded my plate with curry and got plates of a vegetable stir fry, a salad, a roll and some cake. I'd been here a long time. I deserved cake. It was chocolate. I sat down at a table and Sakura gave me a mug of tea. I thanked her. "I'm gonna go talk to someone in the kitchen. Just please stay here. If you need me, just tell Azumi over there behind the curry. She'll fetch me for ya. I'll be back soon. When you're done I'll take you to your room and you can meet your roommate." Sakura said excitedly.  
I watched her hurry away. As neatly as possible I quickly devoured the food. The curry was overly salty but I didn't care. I hoped I wouldn't get sick from eating all this. I knew now why Joey loved food so much. It was calming and fun to eat. About half way through my meal, people started to file in. there were adults and older people but the majority was teenagers. The men wore the same clothes as me, some in color and some white like mine. The girls wore either the same or dresses, again in color or white. I turned back to my food. I didn't want anyone to think I was staring. Better to make friends here than enemies. Who knows how long I'll be here. "Well well well. What have we here? A new guy."  
I turned and looked up. Towering me was someone I'd only heard described before. Somehow I knew it was him. Ushio. The bully that once beat up Yugi before he had friends. I'd heard stories but none did him justice. He was massive and quite scary. Joey told me the guy went insane one night. No one knows why. People just found him in a pile of leaves the next morning on the school grounds. He was drooling and muttering about money and how it was all his. The "money" was really leaves and garbage. After hearing this I wondered if it was a penalty game that Yugi's Yami, Atem, had forced him into. I always shuddered, hearing about how evil he used to be, before Yugi made him good again.  
I took a deep breath. "Good afternoon." I said politely. Something told me this wouldn't end well. "Good afternoon, girly. What's a girly like you doing all by yourself?" Ushio said. "Eating." I said, hiding my loathing for the man. Wow a new record. The fastest I've ever disliked someone. Ushio just beat my last gym teacher. Ushio sneered. He grabbed the front of my shirt and hoisted me out of my seat, which toppled over. My face remained calm. Oh no! I was about to change moods again. I'd be angry and violent. I'd be sent back to that damned cell! "Whoa hold it there partner!" someone said.  
I turned my head to a guy with dark blue almost black hair and light blue eyes. He wore green clothes and had a dark brown cowboy hat on his head. "What do you want?" Ushio all but yelled. "Well howdy to you too, mister. I suggest you put that kid down." The man said. Ushio examined him through narrowed eyes. I too was curious. This guy, who looked to be my age but was definitely more fit than me. "Or what?" Ushio said. The guy grinned and jabbed his thumb toward the door. Two of the burly men in white who served as security were making their way toward them. Ushio dropped me. Luckily I landed on my feet. Ushio hurried to the end of the room but the two security people caught up with him and dragged him kicking and screaming from the room.  
I noticed no one so much as batted an eyelash at the scene. I was amazed. "Everyone knows how he is. He gets in trouble every day. That's why he's still here." Said the cowboy. "I see. Thank you." I said. He had no idea how grateful I was to him. I almost lost it there. "No problem little buddy. I'm Hiro. My last name is a secret for now." The cowboy said. Interesting. "I'm Ryou Bakura. Nice to meet you Hiro." I said. Hiro looked surprised. "Ryou Bakura you say? So I guess not only are you the new guy, but your also my new roommate." He said. My face brightened. Having a roommate like Hiro sounded fun. I already liked him.  
Hiro righted my chair for me. I sat down and he sat across the small circular table. "Where are you from, Ry? I can call ya Ry right?" Hiro said. "It's fine." I said with a smile. I took a drink of my now cold tea. Yuck. "I'm from Domino." I said. Hiro nodded. "Ah, "the gaming city". Nice place. I've been there a couple times." He said. I nodded. "It is." I said sadly. Homesick. Great. "What about you, Hiro?" I said. I mildly expected him to say he was from the southern United States. He certainly looked the part of a cowboy. "A little insignificant town by the name of Karasu*. Nothing big." He said. Interesting. I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover. "And the hat?" I asked.  
Hiro's grin reminded me of Joey's, wide and goofy. "A gift from my grandpa in the states. I went to visit him every summer and work on his ranch. That is, before they threw me in this place." Hiro said. I nodded. "Why? I mean, if I can ask you that is. You seem so… normal." I said. Hiro's eyes sparkled. To tell the truth he looked rather… crazy, to put it bluntly. "I'm a pyro. I love, live and breathe for fire. Evidently that made me a danger to everyone, myself included. I guess half burning down my school was reason enough." He said. "O-oh. I see." I said. Memo to self, keep all flammable objects away from Hiro.  
Hiro leaned toward me, grin even wider. "And you? You look fine to me." he said. I smiled sadly. "I'm crazy." I said. Hiro leaned back; a not so subtle look of boredom was pasted on his face. "Wow, that pretty much describes everyone in this place." He said. I sighed. My appetite suddenly vanished. Oh well, I had eaten most of what I'd gotten already. Cake wasn't good for me anyway. I slumped in my seat. "No, I'm _crazy_. One minute I'm fine, the next I can be a whole different person. I could be sad, happy/ insane, suicidal, angry/ violent or… completely terrified of even my shadow." I said. Ah, the truth. Hello Truthful Ryou. I wondered if he'd not want to be around me anymore. Hiro surprised me. He looked curious. "Really. How'd that happen?" he said.  
I laughed humorlessly. "Well, if you were to believe in such a thing, I was once possessed. This other me was a five thousand year old spirit of an Egyptian tomb thief. He tried to destroy the world. When I didn't cooperate, he would torture me. It got so bad that I lost it after he was destroyed. I thought he came back and was going to hurt me and my friends. I couldn't stand to see my reflection because he'd be there. I'd hear his voice in my head a lot." I said. Hiro looked awestruck. I laughed. "If you believe such a thing. Obviously it's not true. I made him up. Him and the things he did to me." I said. "Obviously you do. I can tell it from the look in your eyes, Ry." Hiro said. Impressive. But I was trying to convince myself he didn't exist.  
_iOh, landlord, I'm hurt./i_  
'Oh be quiet.' I said to the annoying voice. Evidently I was still tittering on the edge of being normal (or was I still truthful Ryou?) and angry Ryou.  
_iHmph, just wait landlord, hick boy is next/i_  
'You're not real. So be quiet. You're just a voice in my poor confused head.' I said back. Hmmm, now I kinda sound like him. That makes me want to laugh. No! I really don't want to be Crazy Ryou now. It would leave a bad impression about me to Hiro if I just started laughing insanely.  
"Uh, Ry? Earth to Ry." A voice snapped me back to reality. Oh, that's right. I was still in the cafeteria with Hiro. I smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Hiro." I said. Hiro put his fork down. "What was that all about, you like, spaced out." He said. Oh shut up you John Wayne wannabe. Hiro seemed to wince as I glared at him. "A-ah. I get it; you're going through that angry mode. I see." He said. "I was talking to the voice in my head. Mind your own business."I hissed. "Alright. Alright. No need to get your britches in a bunch. I'm just trying to be all friendly and all." Hiro said.  
Friendly. For some reason the word snapped me out of my angered haze. My eyes dropped to my plate. "O-oh. I-I'm so sorry, Hiro. As you can see, it comes on fast." I said. Hiro just smiled, put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Wow, alright then. I'll remember to watch you carefully. You really are a nut aren't you?" he said with a wink. I relaxed. It was nice to know that he understood me. I smiled. I scratched my neck. Strange, it itches so much. "Jeez, Ry. Scratch any harder and you'll scratch it open." Hiro said with a mouth full of food. I winced. I tried to ignore it and finished up my meal. "Might be a side effect." Hiro said. "Side effect of what?" I asked. What was he talking about again? Oh right, my itching neck. "Did you take any meds?" Hiro asked. I nodded. Of course I did. I'm supposed to be here to get better, not become a druggy.

Hiro had finished his meal and was now looking me over. Was there food on my face? Or maybe down my shirt. I quickly looked down. Nothing. So why? "How long?" Hiro asked. He was acting quite strange now. "How long for what?" I asked. I winced. I was scratching again. This time a little too hard. I sat on my hand. Scratching bad. No more scratching. "How long have you been taking the pills they give ya?" Hiro asked. I thought a moment. "I guess since I've been here… I am not sure. I might have started when I was in the hospital before. So that adds a month on." I said. Hiro looked disappointed. Had I said something wrong? I didn't want to leave a bad impression. "Damn, two months. Do yourself a favor, Ry. Don't take 'em anymore. Just spit em out when no ones lookin'." Hiro said.

To say I was confused was an understatement. Did Hiro know something I didn't? "Why do you say that, Hiro?" I said. Hiro looked around and leaned forward. I leaned toward him. "Cause they'll make you worse. A hell of a lot worse. First you seem like you'll get better then… bam! You're about ten times worse than when you came in." he said. Hiro casually leaned back. I tried to look normal but you probably could tell I was nervous. I swallowed hard. Why would Dr. Ooishi give out medicine that made you worse? Hiro seemed to read my mind. "Look, I can't tell ya now. Too many people. Plus if they find out, both of us will be in a heap of trouble. I will tell you everything. Just not now and definitely not here." Hiro said.

I nodded. Creepy, really creepy. Maybe I was imagining it? Perhaps none of this was real. Maybe I was hallucinating now. I should not start doubting someone who is trying to help me… but Hiro was pretty convincing. Hiro looked up and waved at someone. I turned and saw Sakura was walking up to us. "Well, I'm glad to see you're already making friends. With your roommate no less." She said. I nodded and smiled. Hiro got up and threw his arm around me, grinning like Joey. "Oh yeah! We're two peas in a pod!" he said. I coughed. He had a strong grip. "Uh… Hiro… air!" I gasped. He released me. "Oops!" he said. I rubbed my neck. "It's ok." I said.

Suddenly my hands touched a scar. My eyes widened. I could almost feel blood dripping down my hand as it did that night. I began breathing hard. I could feel the cold hands around my neck. Oh god no! "Eh? Ry! Come on! Cut that out!" Hiro yelled, grabbing my hand and wrenching it away from my throat. I gasped and snapped out of my haze. "Wh-what?" I asked. I looked at my hand. A small amount of blood was on the finger tips. I noticed it was deathly quiet in the room. I looked around. Everyone was staring at me. Realization hit me. I'd tried to claw out my throat again. My knees felt weak. Hiro held me up, putting my other arm over his shoulder. He kept a firm grip on my bloodied hand. I wanted to sigh. There goes my chance. I must be going back to the cell now.  
"I'm taking him to our room now, Ms. Tojin." Hiro said. I looked at him. He was determined. Sakura nodded. "Ok. Keep a close watch on him. If there's any trouble, call for someone." She said, unsure. Hiro nodded and half dragged me out, since my legs no longer wanted to work on their own.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Revelation

"That wasn't good, Ry. Don't ever do that again." Hiro said. I hung my head as we walked. Hiro still hand my arm over his shoulder but he released my other hand. I wanted to wash off my blood as soon as possible. It made me feel ill. "I'm sorry, Hiro. I-I was having a-a moment again. This time I remembered that night, when I went crazy." I said. Hiro stopped me by waving his hand. "Not here, Ry. Tell me when we're in our room. I don't want you going back to the cell. If you try to be normal for at least 24 more hours then you'll get to stay with me. If not you'll get back in solitary confinement for observation." Hiro said. I nodded and he leaned closer to me. "If you want to go though another one, then keep taking those pills. If not, you know what to do. I'm serious. If it wasn't for those pills, you probably would have been better the day after you cracked back in Domino. Don't take the pills. Got it?" Hiro said.  
I nodded again. Hiro's mood brightened. "Now down this hall is our room. This is the level 2 rooms. You see, this place has their own system. Level three is the violent crazies, just like you, who stay in the cells alone. Level two is me, the people who need less supervision. Level 1 is usually the people who are almost ready to get the hell outta here." He said. "Simple system." I muttered. "Damn straight." Hiro said. Hiro stopped in front of a door. He opened it wide and shoved me through. I stumbled but caught myself. "Welcome to the bunkhouse! Make yourself at home!" Hiro said.  
When I looked up I was amazed. No white! Yes! Plus this place looked like it belonged to Hiro. It was a mess. Clothing and papers were thrown everywhere. On opposite walls were two beds, both had grey blankets and white sheets but I didn't care. On the wall opposite the door was a nice big window, even though it had bars over it, I could still see out. I noticed a guitar on the bed and a guitar case shoved partly under the bed. At the foot of that same bed was a trunk that was thrown wide open. Shirts were thrown haphazardly into it as well as some books and a book that read "photos". There was a trunk at the foot of the other bed but it was empty by the looks of it. Thankfully, the walls were a calming cream color. To my right was a bathroom. I turned my head to the left, on the same wall as the door was a closet. It was empty. Hiro was definitely the type of person who hated organization. I on the other hand, had the urge to start cleaning up the place.  
Hiro came to stand next to me. "Well? What do you think?" he said, grinning. "It's nice." I said. It was the truth. After that cell, a dark dank cave would have looked appealing. Hiro's chest puffed out with pride. "Of course it will look a hell of a lot better once your stuff gets here." He said. I looked at him confused. What stuff? I was tied down when I came so I couldn't have had anything with me. "I don't have anything, Hiro." I said. "Not true. You see, cases like yourself start out bringing nothing with you but family can send you things as soon as you're well enough. I suspect you'll get a box of things by tomorrow. You might even be able to see your family when they deliver it." Hiro said.  
Excitement filled me. I would finally get to see father! I missed him so much. It was like before, when he was always away. I'd miss him so much. I used to think that he hated me. But that day at the hospital, I found out I was wrong. "That will be nice."I said. Hiro went over to his bed and grabbed his guitar. He fell back onto his bed and sat up, his head on the headboard. He strummed his guitar. It was nice until he started to sing. It was terrible! Oh the horror! I pretended not to be affected by the offending sound. This was going to be a long stay with Hiro.

The first few days with Hiro were pretty uneventful. He still wouldn't tell me anymore about the medicine making everyone crazy. By the fourth day I was starting to wonder if Hiro was the crazy one. I mean, why not? He told me he was a pyro, that he liked fire. So wasn't it possible that he was lying? No, even if that were true, he's my friend. I have to hear him out. But by the fifth day, I was starting to believe him. I hadn't had any medication for five days and I seemed to be fine. I hadn't had one problem. That day I sat on my bed, thinking. Well, as best I could with Hiro playing that guitar and singing.

I looked out the window as I thought. What if Hiro was right and they were giving me things that make me crazy. Ok that would explain why I've kept having mood changes. So why did I have that break with sanity before? It happened right after I came back from Egypt. I tried to commit suicide. There was no way that it was caused by pills since I never took medication before this. So how... ugh! I fell back onto my pillow. This was killing me. Normally I was patient but now I'm as impatient as Joey on a sugar high... hmm. I miss my friends, a lot. Joey's energy, Tristen's antics on women, Tea's uplifting spirit and talks, and Yugi's kindness... I missed it all. I missed Domino. The streets, the busy traffic, my apartment, the people, the duelists... everything! Sure, Hiro and Sakura were great. They were my friends here. But this would never be home.

I needed to get out of here. Soon. "Bored?" Hiro said. I looked over at him. "Not really, just thinking too much." I told him. He nodded and put his guitar down. He stood up, walked over to me and motioned for me to stand up. I stood up, confused, until he leaned in and said, "Go along with everything I say. Got it?". I nodded. He stood up straight. "Sure, Ry! I have a look at it for ya!" he said. I gapped like a fish. "W-what?" I said. He winked at me. "Oh don't be so shy! No one's here! If ya want we can go into the bathroom." He said. Flabbergasted, all I did was nod and follow him into the bathroom.

I closed the door and he pushed me toward the sink. "Alright. Great job." Hiro said. He leaned down to the faucet and used it as a mirror as he picked his teeth, since there was no real mirror in our room or bathroom because of me. "Um, yeah but was that necessary? What's going on?" I said. Hiro straightened and put a finger to his lips. "Quiet. Listen, we can't talk out there because of the camera in the ceiling, near the door. Ya usually don't notice it unless ya just happen to look right there. It's blended into the paint job. They can see and hear everything. For our protection. Well it's also there to spy. They don't have any in here but if ya talk loud enough they can hear ya out there."He whispered loudly.

I swallowed hard. They were watching us? Oh yeah, that's right. I'd forgotten that this was a mental hospital. They had to watch us so that we didn't hurt ourselves or others. Alright, that wasn't unusual. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I thought. Maybe Hiro was trying to scare me. Well, he certainly did a great job of it. "Hiro that is ridiculous." I said. Hiro let out a frustrated sigh. "Just stop. Right now. Before you make up your mind, tell me, what does your dad do?" he said. That caught me off guard. "What does your dad do for a living?" Hiro said again. "He is an archeologist. Why?" I said. Hiro nodded before sitting down on the floor. I sat down on the lid of the toilet, watching him. "That makes sense. No wonder they want you here."Hiro said.

Hiro had lost me. Why would they want me here? It's not like father kept the artifacts he found, so it's not like he could just pay ransom for me. Suddenly, an idea crept up. Hiro must have seen the revelation in my face. "Your father has money. Being an archeologist, he works for museums and universities. I could tell from the moment I met you that that was why they took interest in you. They keep you here so that daddy will pay for his only child to get better. They'll swindle you out of everything then suddenly... poof! You're as right as rain. Nothing will be wrong with you." Hiro said. I swallowed hard. Was this what was going on? Or was Hiro crazy. Hiro stood up. "We have to get back out there. If they see us gone too long they'll come in here. Just act normal, don't take any more pills and don't stare at the camera. Just pretend it isn't there." He said.

Hiro turned to the door and put his hand on the doorknob. He stopped and turned his head back to me. "One more thing." He said. I stood up and looked at him. He looked at me with determination I'd only seen in Tristen and Joey both. "Be careful. I have a feeling that money isn't the only reason they're keeping you here." He said. Before we went back out there, I had to know. "Why are they keeping you here?" I blurted out suddenly. He gave me a weak smile. "My family has nothing. I'm just here cause they don't want the government to get a hint on what they're doing." Hiro said. Hiro then opened the door and walked back out into our room.

I just stood there. Poor Hiro. His story made sense. It made sense... and it made me angry. How dare they do that to these people? It's… unforgivable! Part of me wished that I had my Ring still. True it was evil, but it did punish those who did me wrong. If I had it then I could stop Ooishi and this hospital. I shook my head. No, that wasn't right. No matter how bad a person is, no one deserves to be sent to the shadows in the way Bakura used to. I smiled bitterly. There would be no trying to convince myself that he wasn't real now. I knew the truth. He and all my adventures with my friends were real. I reached under the sleeve of my shirt on my left. These clothes were too big for me, this was a short sleeved shirt and yet it nearly went to my elbows. I touched a scar on my arm. That was real. Battle City was real. The time Bakura cut my arm so that the others would think Marik saved me... that too was real.

Yes, I felt angry... but I felt in control. It was true, they were drugging me. Before, when I cracked... I was under stress and I didn't let those who cared for me help. I know better now. I wonder, perhaps now... through my experience... I grew up some. I vowed right then that I would get out of here. I won't take anymore medicine... even if they tried to shove it down my throat. Then, when I get back to Domino, I will find a way to stop this mad house.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five: Gifts From Home

It was the following Monday that I was finally allowed to get things from home. After my little incident in the dining hall, Dr. Ooishi kept me under close watch. But he found that I was perfectly fine. He could find nothing wrong with me. He looked happy… on the outside. I knew the face. He was smiling but underneath he was confused and mad. I had seen that face many times before with bullies and sometimes even teachers. I just kept smiling my old smile, being polite and kind.

I waited patiently in my room. I'd skipped lunch, for I was way too excited and yet nervous. Would it be father bringing the things from home to me? Or would I be disappointed, finding it being delivered by Sakura. So much whirled through my head that I couldn't decide how I should feel. I found myself stuck somewhere in the middle. I looked over to Hiro's bed. There he was, as usual, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling as he strummed seemingly random chords on his guitar.  
I found my thoughts turned to him. I had not had another big breakdown since I moved in with him. Just smaller ones that were easily controlled. Yet, he has had no problems. When I first met him, he said that he was put in here because he was a pyro and that he was dangerous. I saw nothing of that sort when I looked at his eyes. He was normal. A normal teenager. So why was he still here? And a level two no less. I figure that I may never know. Perhaps he is almost ready to move on. Maybe our time as friends would be cut short as he moves on.  
I shook my head. No. if there was one thing that Joey, Yugi, Tea, Tristen and everyone else has taught me. it is that friends will always be there. If not physically, then in your heart. Hiro turned his head and looked at me, stopping his strumming. "Eh? Ry, what's up?" he said. I shook my head. "Nothing. I was just thinking." I said. Hiro smiled. "You seem to do that a lot, I noticed." Hiro said. I nodded. During my time here I've done a lot of thinking. I supposed that all of this has changed me. But did it change me for better or for worse.  
A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Yes?" both Hiro and I said. The door opened. "Sakura, hello." I said. She looked really happy. I wonder why. "There's a special visitor for you, Ryou." Sakura said. My heart sped up. Could it be? Sakura stepped aside and my visitor entered the room. There he was. My father. He looked the same as when I left him except he somehow looked older now and there were bags under his eyes. "Father!" I cried out, jumping off the bed and rushing to him. I threw my arms around his middle, like I was a kid again. I didn't' care that everyone said boys don't cry. I did. Shamelessly I sobbed into his shirt. All those years of missing him came crashing down on me.  
Then I felt something that I will never forget. All that doubt over the years all that doubt that my father didn't care for me it was wrong. My father put his arms around me. He was hugging me back. My father patted my head. "There, there. Ryou, there's nothing to be upset about." He said. His voice was strained. It broke my heart. He was suffering because of me. It must hurt so much to see his only child left alive be so sick.  
I let go, wiping my eyes on the back of my sleeve. "S-sorry." I said. My father only smiled, patting my head. I turned back to Hiro. "Father, this is my roommate Hiro." I said. Hiro waved, putting his guitar down. "Howdy." He said. "It's nice to meet you, Hiro. I'm Ryou's father." My father said. Hiro got up and shook his hand. "Yeah I figured as much. Ry, talks about you all the time." Hiro said. My father's smile brightened. I guess he must have thought I hated him. I don't blame him, how our last conversation ended up.  
My father bent down and picked up the backpack he'd dropped when I hug-attacked him. "I-I wasn't sure what to bring you. I hope this will be alright. I-if you need anything, you can always give me a call or write or something like that." He said handing me the bag. The bag was an old beat up thing that I haven't seen in years, let alone used. I smiled gratefully and opened it. My father guided me to the bed and we both sat down. Hiro didn't even try to suppress his curiosity. I reached my hand in and pulled out the top most item. I almost stopped breathing right there. It was a picture of my friends and me. I didn't know that was taken. It looked like it was taken after battle city. Must have been when we were saying goodbye to everyone. It was candid; no one knew it had been taken. But everyone was in the picture. Who had taken it? "Turn it over." My father said.  
I turned the picture over and saw rough writing over the back. It was so crude I knew only one person could have done it. Marik. I wanted to laugh. How did I miss him? Sure, I didn't even know him that long and we hadn't talked much between now and when the pharaoh left. But we used to call each other during the time between Battle City and the unpleasant events before the pharaoh's departure. It was funny. When Ishizu discovered how much it cost to continue those phone conversations, she got Marik a computer and we e-mailed well, that is when Marik learned how. We discovered he was completely computer illiterate. I should have guessed. It did confuse me though. As leader of the rare hunters, didn't he ever so much as glance at one? He'd told me no. why should he, he informed me, if he had plenty of people to do it for him? I guess that also explained why his kanji was so bad. He could speak Japanese so well but his writing resembled that of a five year old.  
I decided to try and decipher Marik's handwriting later. So I put the picture beside me and put my hand into the bag again. I pulled out a half eaten doughnut. "Joey." I muttered. It didn't surprise me. "Ooo! Is that glazed?" Hiro said. Another thing that didn't surprise me. Hiro was staring at the doughnut hungrily, drooling slightly. "Here." I said tossing it to him. "I'm sure Joey wouldn't mind." I said to him. Hiro devoured the doughnut quickly. I thought to myself, 'After all, it's going to someone who loves food as much as he does'. I laughed softly and continued to look through the bag. I pulled out an IPod. Strange, I didn't have an IPod. I looked at my father. "Your friend, Tea I think was her name. She thought you needed something "calming". So she bought it and filled it with music she thought you might like." My father said. I could tell he felt guilty for not knowing my friends. I smiled warmly at him.  
I wondered what would be next. I pulled out a magazine. Instantly I knew it was from Tristen. My face went red and my father snatched the magazine out of my hands. Hiro started laughing uncontrollably. "Your friend gave you a porn mag!" Hiro said with a whoop. My father looked utterly confused at what to do with the thing in his hands. "He is one hell of a good friend to you Ry!" Hiro said. I grinned. That was Tristen and Joey actually. I remember Tea telling me about how Joey and Tristen had made Yugi buy them things like this before they became friends.  
My father looked even more flustered. Hiro got up and plucked the magazine from his hands. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll dispose of this dirty thing." Hiro said smirking. He winked at me. I'm sure I'll regret letting him later. I wondered what Yugi sent me. I pulled out my duel deck. I swallowed hard. It wasn't exactly my deck. It was _his_ deck. That's when I noticed some new packs of duel monsters cards still in the backpack. I pulled them out. There was a note attached.  
_iRyou,  
I know this deck brings back some painful memories. So I gave you some packs from the shop. Grandpa says it's ok so don't feel like you need to pay us back. They're yours. Just think of them as an early birthday present. I hope this helps you build your own deck. I hope we can duel again sometime.  
Yugii/_  
I smiled. That was Yugi. I doubt he'll ever stop loving games. To him, the greatest medicine is a game. I put the cards with the iPod and the picture. "I wasn't sure what I should bring you." My father said. He sounded nervous. I pulled out a warm sweater. That wasn't so bad. That's something I really needed here. Hiro likes to keep the AC on high. The next item surprised me. It was a few of my Monster World figures that I'd made. They weren't finished yet. I had been working on them before all this. My friends and I had decided to attempt to play another game. I don't say that lightly. Since the first time, they were afraid _he_ would try to seal their souls in the pieces again. There were five pieces, one for each of us. They were starting to look just like us but still needed to be painted. I wonder if I could find some paint around here.  
I smiled fondly and put the figures aside. There was one last thing in the bag. I pulled it out. A picture, a very old picture. I recognized the people in the picture well. My father, a younger me my mum and my little sister Amane. Amane looked real small, after all she was younger than me, she had hair like my father's but both Amane and I had brown eyes like Mum. I got my white hair from mum. I could feel that I was about to do another flip of emotions and yet somehow I was able to suppress it. It made me so proud of myself. I hugged my father. "Thank you." I said.  
I couldn't see it but I knew he was smiling. It was good to see him smile again. It had been a rare thing to see him smile before all this. I looked up at him. "Come on, I'll show you around then we can talk." I said. "Yes, we have a lot to catch up on, Ryou." My father said.

Why is it that when you're having a good time, time just seems to fly by? One moment I was walking him down the halls, telling him about what he'd missed all the times he'd been gone (omitting the events that transpired because of the Items of course), and the next I was saying good bye near the entrance in the common room area. I felt like a child again, knowing that he was about to leave and it would be a while before I can see my father again. I sucked it up, as Joey and Tristen would have put it. I put on a smile. "Have a safe trip back, father." I said. This time it was my father that surprised me with a hug. "Don't get disheartened, you will be well soon. When you do, you will come home. I promise that I'll be home more. I'll work with the museum in Domino and the times I can't avoid traveling I'll take you with me. I promise I will never leave you again like I did before." My father whispered in my ear. I hugged him back. "Thank you." I said. That was all I'd ever wanted. To have him be my father again.  
My father patted me on the head, adjusted his glasses and went through the door. I was unaware of everything around me as I watched him walk out of sight. I sighed. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. But then I smiled. It was almost like a dream. For so long I'd wished for my father and I to be a family again. It was almost a year ago that I'd given up on this wish. Hope warmed my chest. There was still a chance that I could be happy. My world was brought crashing down so quickly as I heard yelling. I was tempted to not look around. To just keep living without knowing. But that voice was just too familiar. Time seemed to be going in slow motion as I turned. It couldn't be!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six: New arrival  
Time seemed to be going in slow motion as I turned. It couldn't be! But it was. I had turned and I saw, being restrained by two guards the last person I expected to see here, in a mental hospital in Japan. "M-Marik?" I said in shock. There he was, my newest friend. He looked the same as I had last seen him: tanned Egyptian skin, blond hair that was so rare for his nationality and those light purple eyes that bore right through you if you said the wrong thing. Yes, it was Marik alright. The moment he heard me he stopped moving. "Eh? Bakura… err sorry, I forgot… Ryou?" he said. The two guards holding him tried to move him again but he just kicked again. "W-wait a moment!" I said. I grabbed onto his flailing arm and using all my weight I tried to keep them from taking him further. "W-what are you doing here?" I all but shrieked.  
Marik let out a growl. "That's what I wanna know! I came to Japan to see you when I hear that you've been sent here! So I talked to your father… nice guy by the way… a little, what's the word Joey used… spacey. So I talked to him and he told me what happened. I convinced my sister to let me stay here in Japan." He said. "Oh, I guess that explains how my father got that picture from you." I said. I could tell those two guards were getting really impatient with us. I'd bet that the only reason on of them hadn't grabbed hold of me and yanked me off was because Marik was so hard to handle. I'd imagine it will take more than two to drag him anywhere. "Yes, well that was a week ago… then suddenly I have this doctor poking his nose into my past and suddenly I need to be evaluated. According to them, I'm not stable enough to live in society! Apparently I'm too violent and delusional! Hey! Get your hands off of me or Ra help me I'll do something you'll regret!" Marik said.  
That worried me. Marik had no legal past. To the government of Egypt, and any government for that matter, he didn't exist. He didn't have a birth certificate or any sort of records. Unless… the Ishtars were able to make false documents. It was possible. How else would Ishizu have a professional career with the Egyptian council of antiquities and travel around the world with her exhibitions? It wouldn't be possible. I wondered briefly who they got to do it for them. Something told me Ishizu pulled some favors with Seto Kaiba. That woman could talk her way through anything. She had quite the charisma.  
Marik continued to struggle and I got an idea. "Marik, just stop." I said. He looked at me as though I was crazy… which may or may not be the truth. I hadn't quite figured that out yet. "If you calm down, then they will let you go. The only reason you're being restrained is because they think you're going to hurt someone." I said. I gave him a pleading look. I needed him to calm down long enough for them to leave. I needed to talk to Marik about Hiro's theory. If he believed it too then I would have more incentive to believe it. Marik seemed to consider it before he stopped fighting. The two men in white looked at each other. "Alright I'm calm. Besides, why would I hurt my best friend?" Marik said, crossing his arms. He had them there. "What should we do?" one asked. The other turned back to us. "We will speak to Dr. Ooishi. Stay. Do not leave the common room." He ordered. I could tell Marik was keeping in a sarcastic comment. He hated to be ordered around. If anything, he had to be the one doing the ordering.  
I nodded quickly. "Yes sir. We will." I said before Marik could open his mouth. The two men reluctantly left. I pulled Marik over to a corner of the room. I looked around. There wasn't a camera near us, well not directly. There were cameras everywhere. We'd have to talk quietly. "What's with you?" Marik asked noting my strange behavior. I put my finger to my lips. He shut his mouth. "Listen. I need to tell you something. I'm not sure if it's true… yet." I said. Marik looked at me skeptically. "You never seemed the type to gossip." He said. I gave him a look. I was starting to lose my patience. I quickly told him about Hiro and his theory. His expression went from bored to interested as I spoke. "So what do you think?" I said. Marik thought for a moment. "Don't get me wrong, Ryou… it's an interesting theory. It just sounds like something from TV." He said. I sighed. Then I was being paranoid. Maybe going off my medicine was a bad idea. But then how do I explain my normal behavior? "But…" Marik started. I looked up in shock. "It doesn't mean that it's not true. The fact is… we don't have all the facts. And something tells me… there's more than money involved." Marik said. What? That's what Hiro said. "What do you mean?" I asked.  
Marik looked at me with a serious expression that made me swallow hard. Was I missing something? "You can't feel it?" he said. I was getting creeped out. "F-feel what?"I said. Marik looked across the room. "This place is way too calm." He muttered. He looked suspiciously at people. No, at the staff. I mustered up my courage. "Marik, feel what?" I said. He looked back at me. "A dark pressure. You really don't feel it?" Marik said. I shook my head. I really didn't feel it. But then again, I'd never used the Millennium Ring as Marik had often used his Millennium Rod. So I wouldn't be able to feel anything. That is… if I wanted to believe all that. Somehow, making myself think none of that was real is becoming impossible.  
Marik sighed. I could tell he felt frustrated. "What exactly did these people do to you?" he asked. That surprised me. "What do you mean?" I asked. "I can see skepticism in your eyes." Marik said. Whoa. Marik must have been serious; he almost never uses words like that. I sighed. "I thought that maybe, I could have a life again if I convinced myself that… none of what happened, with Bakura, the ring… all that… wasn't real." I said. Marik snorted. "Listen, that might work. But you can't just forget about it. All that is part of you. You can't change the past, Ryo. But believe what you want." he said. I could tell he was angry. I felt ashamed. Nothing about what we went through was fake. His childhood, his yami, my yami, the pharaoh… all of it! "So I guess all we have to do now is make them think we're better and get the hell out of here before anything happens." Marik said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. I nodded.  
Oh if only it was that easy. Ooishi let Marik be free to roam around but he was never let to be alone. It was ok with him. Hiro and I always were with him when we were out of our rooms. No one was allowed in other's rooms. Marik was constantly on guard and he always watched what he said. We both had to. We had to get out of here without telling any information about the millennium Items. That would only keep us here. So while we were here, there was no such thing as shadow magic or any type of magic. I wished I had my tarot cards. I felt so uneasy. I wanted to know what was in store. Tarot cards couldn't tell me the future, but they could tell me if something was coming. I hated not knowing. I couldn't even get my hands on any type of cards. All I had was the duel monsters cards that Yugi had sent… had. They were confiscated by Ooishi. Apparently it would only make me worse.  
Nothing seemed right anymore and it made me jumpy. I was nervous again of every shadow. Though, I no longer suspected my yami to just jump out and attack me. No that was silly. It was impossible. He was a spirit with no body. Sakura was the only staff that I trusted. Marik told me not to trust even her. Well I hadn't gotten reason to suspect Sakura was part of anything. She seemed innocent. That feeling was reinforced in me one afternoon. I was walking through the hall, feeling quite bored actually. Hiro was suffering the effects of eating not only his but Marik and my own desert as well at lunch. So he was in bed. Marik on the other hand, was stuck in another "therapy" session. I was on my own that day. So I was taking a walk, stretching my legs. I was still not allowed outside, so this was the best I could do.  
I was walking toward my room, to check up on Hiro, when I saw Sakura walking toward me. She was wearing her pink scrubs as usual but her expression was not usual. She looked worried or bothered. I smiled as I walked up to her. "Good afternoon." I said. She blinked. Evidently she was so in thought that she hadn't seen me. "Oh! Hello Ryou." She said. "Is something wrong?"I asked. She looked conflicted. She looked at me with troubled eyes. "It's nothing." She said. She bit her lip as I looked at her. I was concerned. I considered her a friend. My worry must have been in the look I gave her. "Are you sure?" I asked. She looked around and then back at me. She sighed. "Dr. Ooishi is acting strangely. It might be just me but… I'm not sure." She said. Interesting, so we weren't the only ones to see it. "Really?" I said. She nodded. "How?" I said. I could tell she was nervous. "Well, he's not acting himself. He's on edge, easy to anger and he almost seems to be ignoring some of his patients." She said in a rush.  
That was strange. "Oh I shouldn't even be saying anything. Forget that I said anything, Ryo." Sakura said. Sakura started to walk off. I grabbed her arm. "wait." I said. Sakura turned. I trusted her. She was new here, so there was no way that she could be in on whatever was going on. And she told me about Ooishi's strange behavior. She didn't hide it. "It may not be untrue. Sakura, some of us have been noticing some strange things. And well, I'm worried." I said. Sakura seemed almost relieved that I was having the same feelings as she. "What do you mean, Ryou? What have you noticed." She said. I let go of her arm. "Someone told me that, someone here may be up to something. Something… bad."I said. Choose your words carefully, Ryo. I told myself this knowing that if I said the wrong thing, Sakura might tell Ooishi of _my_ strange behavior. Sakura blinked. "No. t-that can't be right." She said. But her expression said otherwise. She looked around. "R-Ryo, don't tell anyone we talked. I'll look into all this. We're probably imagining it." She said. "I wish, Sakura." I said. Sakura turned. "Bye, Ryou. Be good." She said.  
Then I was alone again. This mystery just kept deepening. I half expected Nancy Drew or the Hardy boys to just appear. What? It's not that I read them. Before I moved to Domino, I had friends that read them. But that's not important. What is important is the here and now. A thought hit me. It was quiet. I looked around. I didn't feel paranoid of the shadows. No voice in my head… and yet, I didn't feel alone. I was alone, don't mistake me. But the feeling…. I wasn't alone and almost… like I was being protected by something.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: The Dark Holes

The days continued to drag on and on. I wanted to go home, badly. Why couldn't these people understand? I'm not sick. I've been cured… mainly because I stopped taking that poison they called medicine. But I'm still here and so is Marik. We both dodged the questions and made up excuses for the ones we couldn't avoid. Marik seemed to enjoy it, almost like it was a game. I asked him about it and he said he enjoyed seeing Ooishi's face turn red and almost lose his temper.

I still could not figure out what it was Ooishi wanted from us. It was a total mystery. The items were gone, therefore he wasn't another one of those great evils wanting to take over the world/ destroy the world… as Yugi put them once. It also worried me that I had not seen Sakura for a while. Time is hard to tell here anymore. I hoped she hadn't gotten into trouble.

I was sitting by a window in the common room. Outside it was yet another beautiful day. A day I could only enjoy from afar. I sighed. I missed going outside. Even if I wasn't athletic, I still want to be outside, to run… to do anything! I felt bad for Marik. He loved the sun and he couldn't even get to it. I guessed it was because Ooishi was afraid if someone let Marik outside, he'd run off. Let's just say I don't blame them for thinking that… After all, Marik had talked about that the first few days he had been here.

I was starting to feel a bit lonely. I had gotten used to having friends and being with them. Right now, Hiro was in a session and Marik was confined to his room for getting into a fight with another patient over some silly argument that had resulted in fists.

I looked away from the window when I heard someone approach. I almost sighed in relief. It was Sakura. So she was alright. I was surprised to see someone with her. A girl, no older than me I guessed, with… green hair? Strange. She wore the same white as I did. He bright green eyes were somewhat dulled as she stared at the ground, a sad expression on her face. "Good afternoon, Ryo. How are you today?" Sakura said. She sounded happy, normal. So that means whatever was going on before has been taken care of… at least I'd hoped. Either that or she was a very convincing actor. "Hello. I'm doing well, thank you." I said. I looked over to the girl with green hair and gave her a smile. "Hello there." I said. She visibly flinched. "Hi." She said quietly.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Ryo, I'd like you to meet Lynn Brydon. Lynn this is Ryo Bakura." She said. The girl raised her eyes to look at me. I gave her another smile, a friendly one. "It's nice to meet you Lynn." I said. "Lynn just moved into your hall. Please make her feel welcome." Sakura said. Just moved into the hall. Not, just arrived here. Could she have been in the same cells I had, not long ago? I nodded. "Sure." I said.

Sakura led Lynn over to the couch where I had been sitting and had her sit down, in the middle. Lynn automatically scooched herself as far against the back rest as possible, pulling up her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. I sat down next to her, where I had been before. Sakura lingered for a moment before leaving to her other duties. I looked at Lynn. "How do you like it here, Lynn?" I asked. Lynn looked at the floor. "It's ok… not as many holes." She said. What? "Holes?" I asked. She nodded. "Holes." She said. Oh lord. She definitely sounded crazy. Don't judge, Ryo. That's what I told myself. It probably isn't her fault. "I see." I said.

Lynn didn't move. So I changed the subject. "Where are you from?" I asked. Lynn didn't say anything. "I'm from Domino, Japan." I said. Again, silence. This conversation was going to be pretty one-sided. I could tell. "It's a really nice place. Of all the places I've lived, Domino is the one I consider my home the most." I said. I was getting a little tired of being the only one talking. However, at least there was someone to talk to. I couldn't say I was lonely anymore. I ended up speaking about my friends. Lynn just remained still, looking at the floor. It was as if she was watching something. "I never had friends like them before," I said finally. I looked at her again. "They really care. They even sent me things. My father brought them with him when he came to visit." I said. Lynn flinched and hugged her knees tighter. She began to shake. "Are you alright?" I asked. Why did I think she would answer me?

Lynn pressed herself further into the back of the couch. Her eyes widened. "It wasn't my fault!" Lynn murmured through her teeth. Lynn gasped and slammed her eyes shut. "I-I'm gonna fall in!" Lynn whispered. I looked at the floor and then back at Lynn. I didn't see anything. Then it hit me. Holes. Lynn thought there was one of those holes she spoke of before right in front of her. I had to help somehow. I grabbed onto Lynn's arm and pulled her toward me, all the while hoping that Lynn wouldn't freak out. "I-it's alright. I won't let you fall in." I said. Lynn stopped shaking. Slowly she opened her eyes, looking at the floor and then back up to me. Confusion was written in her eyes. "How did you do that?" she asked. "Do what?" I asked.

Lynn looked back down at the floor. "Made the hole disappear." She said. "Um, I don't know. Why did it appear in the first place?" I said. Lynn looked at me. "They're usually everywhere. If I'm not careful, I'll fall in. They only want me, so other people don't fall in… usually. I think they're here to punish me." She said. My brows furrowed. Punish her? But why? Why would Lynn think that these "holes" were trying to punish her? "Punish you for what?" I asked. "For my sins. I let something really bad happen to someone." Lynn said. Lynn didn't seem the type to let something bad happen to someone. She seemed like a very nice person. "And now, he's dead." Lynn said, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "Who?" I said. Lynn grabbed hold of me in a death grip hug. She sobbed into my shirt, not holding back in the least. Slowly I put my arms around her shoulders and began to stroke her hair to calm her down. "Shh, it's alright." I said. "No it's not! I let him die! It's my fault my Dad died!" Lynn shouted into my shirt.

I didn't know what to say to her. Losing family was… so hard. But blaming yourself… When my mother and sister died, I didn't blame myself. It was an accident. An accident that could have happened to anyone, anywhere, anytime. "I just stood there at that monster stabbed my dad until he died! I couldn't move! Because I was too scared!" Lynn said. I waited until her frantic sobs quieted down some until they became sniffles. "Lynn, what could you have done?" I asked. Lynn looked up at me. "Huh?" she said. "What could you have done? If you hadn't been so scared, if you had been able to move?" I said. Lynn bit her lip. She looked down. "If you had been able to do something, that person would have tried to hurt you. Your father was trying to protect you, right? Because you're his daughter and he loved you." I said.

Lynn was quiet for a moment. "I feel silly, crying on you like this. I made your shirt all wet." She said. I laughed softly. "It's alright, I don't mind." I said. Actually, this felt pretty good. I realized what I was thinking and blushed hard. Lynn seemed to be thinking the same thing as she too blushed. None the less, she put her head back down on my chest. I think she feels safe. Good. I wouldn't let anything hurt her. "Thanks, Ryo." She said. My eyes widened. I was looking at the floor. I saw it! A big hole in the floor like a black abyss. 'Tell me that's not real.' I thought to myself. My eyes widened. There was something in the hole. I could see it moving. A dark shape that I couldn't make out.

Carefully I pulled Lynn further away from the hole, trying not to alert her to my discovery. But she looked down. "Y-you can see it too." She said. I nodded. "We have to get out of here." I said. She shook her head. "There's more of them. There's something about this place. Before I didn't see as many. But here… It's like someone's making them." She said. Making them… "Lynn, what happens to the people that do fall in? You said before, that some people do fall in." I asked. Lynn bit her lip, thinking. "I-I don't really know for sure. Some people just… die. When I see people fall in, their body kinda stays put. They fall over like they fainted. But I see something come out of them. Like a ghost version of themselves. Those ghost versions fall into the holes, screaming. Sometimes they die other times… it's like they're in a coma. They just sleep and don't move anymore." Lynn said.

My eyes widened in shock. These holes weren't just taking people! They were taking people's souls! Perhaps to the shadow realm. That had to be it! But who has the items. I saw them disappear, when the chamber collapsed after the Pharaoh moved on to the spirit world. Someone must have found them. I narrowed my eyes. Someone like Ooishi. But if he had them, why did he insist on interrogating Marik and me. There would be no point. Someone else, then, has them. But who? "Lynn, I don't know why this is happening, but it definitely isn't because of you. You need to trust me, ok?" I said.

Lynn looked at me and nodded. "I trust you. I just met you, but… It feels like I know you from somewhere." She said. Now that she mentioned it, I did feel like I'd known her before. I mentally shook myself. Now was not the time. I stood up, making sure I was far from the edge, pulling Lynn up too. She clung to me for dear life. "What are you doing?" she asked. I slowly led her around the hole in the floor, my hand clenched around hers. "We need to go talk to someone. A friend of mine. He'll know what to do, I'm sure." I said. I hoped he would. Otherwise we're in trouble. I walked briskly to the other side of the room, preparing to open the door leading to the hall to my room.

I stopped. I looked around the room. "W-What the-! Where did everyone go?" I said. Lynn looked around wide-eyed. "But-but this room was full a minute ago! How is that possible?" Lynn said. I tightened my grip on her hand. "It is full." I said shocked. Lynn gasped. Everyone was on the ground, unmoving. I swung the door open and pulled Lynn through. We ran down the hall, passing more people on the ground. I suddenly stopped in front of the door to my room. Swung the door open. "Hiro!" I shouted.

Hiro tumbled off his bed in surprise. "Holy-! What's gotten into you, Ryo!" Hiro said, picking himself up off the floor. "No time! We have to get out of here, now!" I said. Hiro looked at me like I was talking crazy. "Listen, there's something going on!" I said. "Everyone's on the ground not moving!" Lynn interrupted. Hiro looked at Lynn. "Who are you?" he said. "Hiro! Just come on! Her name's Lynn and she's a friend, now move it!" I ordered. Hiro's brow rose in shock but he listened. He walked toward us. My eyes widened. "Hiro, stop!" I yelled. He stopped, his foot right over the hole that had appeared. Now I understood. The holes were in shadows. This one was in the shadow made by my bed. The lights were off, so the only light was from the window. Hiro looked at me funny. "You can't see it, but there's a hole right there." I said, swallowing hard. Hiro looked up at me and then at the floor. He couldn't see it. Lynn looked around and then flipped the light switch on. The hole shrank and moved toward the bed, following the shadow. "Don't step on the shadows."I said. "Ryo-" Hiro started. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you so just come on!" I said.

I pulled Lynn out of the room and ran down the hall, Hiro close behind. "What's going on, Ryo! What happened to these people?" Hiro said, one hand on his hat to hold it on his head. "This is going to sound crazy, but someone stole their souls using something called Shadow Magic." I explained. Hiro was silent for a moment. "You're right, that does sound crazy." He said. "It's true though. They used a Millennium Item to do it too. I would know, I used to own one." I said. "Wait, wait wait!" I heard Hiro say. We stopped. "Are you telling me, you used to own something that could steal people's souls!" he said. "You believe me?" I said, surprised. "It's certainly a better excuse than all of these people just suddenly dropped dead." Hiro said. I noticed the serious look on his face. "I did not do this." I said. "Then who is?" Hiro demanded. "I can only think of one person, Ooishi. Somehow he found the items and is now creating these holes that some people can't see. If you step on them, they steal your soul right out of your body." I explained. Hiro's eyes widened. "Why can't we see them?" Hiro said. I sighed. "You can't see them. I can. My only explanation is that I can see them because I once had an item. I didn't use it very much though. A few times at the most. So I didn't sense them before Lynn pointed them out to me. What I don't understand is why Lynn can see them." I said. I looked at Lynn. She shrugged. "I dunno. I started seeing them after my dad died." She said.

I thought a moment. "Lynn when did your dad die?" I asked. "About a year and a half ago, why?" she said. That made no sense. The Items were lost a few months ago… I believe. I am not sure how long I have been here. "Strange. We lost the Items a few months ago. So why did they appear before that." I said. "You sure these things were made by these… Millennium Items?" Hiro said. I nodded. Although I wasn't used to it, I sensed they were. But because I was very poor at sensing these things, I had to find Marik. He was the only one who could help figure this out. "Come on. Marik will know how this happened." I said. I started running again. "How would he know?" Lynn asked. "Because He used to have one too. The Millennium Rod. I had the Millennium Ring." I said.

Hiro and I stopped short. Lynn noticed we stopped and tried to stop too but ended up pulling my arm so hard that I toppled over with her. I heard Hiro snicker. "Ya know, you two make a cute couple." He said. I blushed hard. "W-we're not-not-" I tried saying in embarrassment. I jumped up instead, letting go of Lynn's hand. I began pounding on Marik's door. "Hey! Marik! Open the door please!" I shouted. But I went unanswered. I kept pounding. "Wait! Ryo he isn't there!" Hiro said. I turned to him. "How do you know? Wasn't he confined to his room for fighting?" I said. Hiro nodded. "Yeah but looks like he was moved. His name plate is gone." Hiro said. I looked and my heart dropped into my stomach. Under the room number was blank. "Where did he get moved to?" I said. I looked at Hiro, his face was serious. "Back to a cell. The only time they actually move a patient is into a level three cell. And when they're released. But he would have told us if he was leaving." Hiro said.

I turned toward the way we came. "Come on then, we have to go find his cell and get him out of here." I said. Hiro grabbed my arm. "Wait, how do you know he isn't like the others now." He said. I bit my lip. "I don't care, he's my friend. I won't leave him behind. Soul or no soul." I said.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight: Unexpected

We had to run back through that hall and through the common room again. Hiro was looking very pale by the time we passed through. He kept muttering things like "My god" and "Why?" along with a few expletives. Lynn had started crying. I just kept running. I was so worried about Marik. Sure, he could take care of himself, but he couldn't in this case if he didn't have his Millennium Rod. He, like us, was a sitting duck. "Why would someone do this?" Lynn asked. I didn't have the heart to tell her. Sending souls to the shadow realm increased an Item holder's power. That's why the spirit of my Ring was so hard to stop before. He had sent enough souls to the shadow realm to keep coming back. Briefly I wondered if this was his doing. But that was impossible. Yugi had assured me that he was gone and would not come back. But still…

We reached the doors leading to the Level Three cells. We swung them open and froze. The hallway was pitch black. "What do we do now?" Hiro shouted. I couldn't move; I was frozen in place. I shivered and then fell to one knee. "Ryo! Are you ok?" Lynn cried. I couldn't answer her. My eyes were wide and I felt like I couldn't breathe. There was so much pressure. I could tell that the hall way was covered in shadows from the shadow realm. Going in there would be like going into the shadow realm itself. What was wrong with me? I had never truly went to the shadow realm. Alone that is. When Marik's Yami sent my body there during Battle City, my own yami was there to protect me from the darkness. He didn't want to be without a body when he got out. But now I was alone. 'Hey!' I shouted in my mind. 'Hey if you're there tell me what to do!' I was hoping to speak to my yami. If there was shadow magic, surely he was back in my body again. The voice, all that time, had to be him.

iWhat do you want now?/i

I shivered involuntary. He sounded really angry.

iDamn right I'm mad. You woke me up!/i

'Tell me what I should do! Better yet, do something!' I said.

There was silence for a moment. Then he spoke again.

i I can't/i

My brow furrowed in confusion. What did he mean he can't? He was the person who caused me so much hell in my life. He trapped my soul and the soul of my friends in figures and then cards! He's the one that took over my body so many times to challenge the pharaoh. He killed Shadi for goodness sakes! And he was supposed to be immortal!* 'Why not!' I shouted at him.

i I'm not real, landlord. /i

I froze, my mouth open. He wasn't real? How could that be! I can hear him! I'm talking to him right now!

iNo, landlord. I'm as that lunatic doctor told you, a figment of your imagination. You were so used to having the real me around that you created this fake me's voice. You didn't want to believe that you were truly out of the danger the real me induced. And… you wanted protection. You wanted to feel safe. With me around, you could. That's why you felt safer just now./i

I clenched my teeth and leaned forward, hands planted on the floor. 'No! T-this can't be! W-what are we supposed to do now?' I shouted back. There was no reply. I felt like screaming. Screaming a sobbing my eyes out like a child. Now that I knew he really was in my mind and he told me so, he was gone. I stood up, head down. "Hey, what's up, Ry?" Hiro said. "I'll go on ahead. You two find the exit and get out of here. It's too dangerous for you two to go through there." I said. "I don't understand." Lynn said. I pointed to down the hall. "It's covered in shadows from the shadow realm. It's possible that you won't make it out with your souls. I think I might be able to, since I once had an item." I said. Lynn grabbed my arm. "But you don't look so good, Ry." Hiro said. "He's right. Your paler than normal and you look like you're in pain." Lynn said. "It's hard to explain. I think it's perhaps, since at one time I had a yami… a darker side, that I'm a Hikari.** Light." I said. "Darker side?" Lynn said with worry. I sighed. "Sometimes that's a side effect of the Items. They have spirits trapped in them from thousands of years ago. I was that spirit's descendent and his reincarnation. Therefore he chose to have the item find me and then possess me for years. A few months ago, a very powerful friend of mine got rid of him." I said.

Suddenly there were groans all around us. "Hey, these people are waking up! Maybe it means it's all a false alarm." Hiro said. Lynn and I took a step backwards, toward the hallway. "No, I don't think so. Look closer." I said. "They're zombies!" Lynn cried fearfully. These people did look like zombies. They were pale and their movements were stiff, and some dragged themselves forward, moaning. Their eyes were completely white, blank. Lynn screamed. "I don't like zombies! Let's get out of here!" She cried. "I second that!" Hiro said.

We ran through the doors, slamming them shut. Hiro locked them. The people pounded on the doors but couldn't get in. We stood there, in the dark, waiting for our eyes to adjust. Lynn had hold of my hand tightly. I blushed, thanking that no one could see. I'd never had a crush on anyone before. Is it so easy to have a crush on someone that you do it to someone you've only just met? But then, there was this feeling that I knew her. I still didn't know from where.

I grit my teeth. My chest hurt bad! This was what it felt like, in the shadow realm, with no protection. "I-I feel sleepy." Lynn said. "D-don't fall asleep, kid. You remember what Ry said, you w-won't get out with your soul." Hiro said. My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I turned. My eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness. "C-come on. We have to f-find Marik and-and find a way ou-out of here." I said. Slowly we walked down the hallway. With each step I felt like I was going to pass out. In addition, I was practically pulling Lynn along. She wasn't doing so well either, I guessed. Hiro too. I couldn't tell which door was which. How were we supposed to find Marik? I felt a tug on my hand as Lynn fell to her knees. "Come one, get up." I urged. "I-I can't." Lynn said. I knelt down. "G-get on my back." I told her. I felt her climb on and I stood, stumbling a bit. I grabbed hold of Lynn's legs to keep her on my back. She had her arms around my neck but I could feel her grip wasn't that good. I took a step, stumbling a little more. I walked, step by step. I was feeling weaker and weaker. I prayed there were no holes in the hallway. We couldn't see them, so we would just fall in. I began gasping for breath. 'Please, someone, anyone! Help us!'I thought. Suddenly a shining gold light erupted from my chest. I looked down in shock. The light illuminated the hallway. "W-what is that?" Hiro shouted. The light dimmed a little. Suddenly my pain and weakness was gone. I grinned. Around my neck was the Millennium Ring. "Hey! Suddenly I'm feeling better." Lynn said shocked. I looked over my shoulder at her. "Looks like we just got a little help. Say hello to my Millennium ring! It'll protect us from the shadow magic." I said. I hoped. I hadn't actually used it much before. "And… now we can find Marik." I said, holding the ring up with one hand. "How are we- whoa! That's cool Ry!" Hiro said as one of the spikes on the ring stood up, pointing to a door down the hall. Lynn, still sitting on my back, kicked her legs up and pointed down the hall with one hand while the other gripped my shoulder. "Onward!" she shouted with a giggle. "Ya know ya can get off of him now." Hiro said. I looked over my shoulder and saw Lynn stick her tongue out at him. She seemed to be better than when I first met her. Like me, she seems to be better off with people… friends. Or perhaps… I frowned. Was she acting that way because the shadow realm was affecting her? She said that those holes first appeared when her father died. Now that my Ring protected us, the darkness isn't affecting her. "Why? I'm a lady. I shouldn't have to walk." Lynn said with a giggle. I smiled. "Then I shall be your horse, m'lady." I joked. I saw Hiro sweatdrop. "Guys, need I remind you that this situation is pretty bad. As much as I hate it, we have to be serious." Hiro said.

I shrugged. "The shadow realm feeds on negative emotions. It might be better if we keep light of the situation." I said. Hiro paled. "Well ok then! Let's just go, pleeeeeeeeeease!" Hiro said. We continued on, by the light of the Ring. It wasn't much further that we found Marik's cell. "One problem down, one left." Hiro said. He turned to me. "The cells are always locked." He said. Lynn got off my back. She examined the lock. "It's also electronic. So even if one of us knew how to pick locks, we couldn't get it open." She said. I thought a moment. "Hey, stand back for a moment." I said suddenly. Lynn and Hiro moved back. "What are ya gonna do?" Hiro asked. "I'm hoping, that since this Ring once belonged to a thief, that maybe, just maybe it can open locks." I said. I looked over my shoulder at them for a moment. "It's worth a try." I said. I looked back at the lock and then closed my eyes. 'Please, Millennium Ring. Please open this door.' I silently pleaded. I opened my eyes as the lock started sparking. The door came unlocked with a click and some smoke floating out of it. I grinned and opened the door wide.

It was dark inside the cell, like the hall had been. My Ring illuminated only so much of the room. I gulped. "Marik?" I called out. I heard a groan. Slowly I walked in. Hiro and Lynn followed, probably wanting to stay in the light of my Ring. "Yo, Marik! You in here?" Hiro said. Another groan. I turned and my Ring illuminated a corner where a figure was sprawled out on the padded ground. My eyes widened. It was Marik! We rushed over to him. Hiro and I knelt down at each side of him. Hiro propped him up against the wall, Marik's head lolling over as he groaned. "I think he's been sedated… heavy too." Hiro said. Hiro began patting Marik's cheek in the hopes to revive him. Marik just groaned some more. "I don't think he's gonna be much help like this." Lynn said. I shook him a little. "Marik! Wake up! We're in trouble!" I said. Marik's eyes opened a little. They were unfocused. "W…waz goin'… on?" he slurred. His eyes rolled a little as he looked around. "Why… is it… dark in… here?" he said. I took hold of both his shoulders. "Marik, look at me!" I said. His head rolled, turning toward me. "Someone got hold of the Items. They stole the souls of most of the people, if not all of them, here! We need to get out of here now!" I said. Marik closed his eyes. "That's nice… good night." He said.

Well, that was discouraging. "He's too out of it." I said. Hiro growled. "Now what?" He said. I sighed. "We'll have to carry him out and find a way to escape this place." I said. Hiro groaned. "Fine! Upsy daisy sleeping beauty." Hiro said, picking up Marik and slinging him over his shoulder. We turned around and hurried out the door. The second we got out though, my ring's pointers pointed down the hall. Hiro noticed. "Is that the way out?" he asked. "Might be." I said. We followed the Ring's directions down the hallway. Was it just me or did this hallway seem a lot bigger than it did before?

The Ring stopped us in front of another door. "This isn't the way out, Ry." Hiro said. I wasn't listening. Slowly I put my hand on the door. What was this feeling. I feel… empty and I feel an urgency to open this door and get to whatever was behind it. "Ryo, let's go." Lynn said urgently. I closed my eyes and called on the Ring's power again and again the lock sparked and opened. I opened my eyes and then opened the door. Nothing was in there. Slowly I walked in. "I guess no one's in here." I said. Suddenly I was shoved up against the wall. "Wrong, landlord. I'm here." Someone hissed, taking hold of my throat.

*how else do you explain how he was around when Marik was a kid, looking exactly the same way all the way through the Battle City Tournament? It's a theory so no flames.

**Hikari, I looked up, is a unisex (boys and girls that means it's… exactly that, boy and girl name) name meaning light or shining. I had read a lot of fanfics that use this word to represent the lighter sides of Yugi, Ryo and Marik (even though he was evil at a point in the original Yugioh story).


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine: Thief  
I gagged as he closed his hand tighter around my throat. I couldn't believe my eyes. "Miss me, little Ryo?" my Yami, Bakura, said. He looked just like he did when I imagined him in the mirror at school. Except now he was real and choking me. How was that possible? The Ring disappeared from around my neck and reappeared on Bakura's. He patted it with his free hand. "Back where it belongs." He said. "Hey! Let him go you- you Ry wannabe!" Hiro yelled running in. "Don't!" I croaked. The Ring gave off a flash of brighter light and Hiro was thrown against the padded wall. He slid down it. "M-man! You didn't say it could do that!" Hiro said.  
Bakura looked back at me. How could he be here! With a body no less! "I can hear you, landlord." He said. My eyes went wide. "I could hear you the moment you got here. Interesting that you were able to go from being terrified of a fake voice that sounded like mine to asking it for help. If it was me, did you honestly believe I would help you?" he said. He laughed. "Of course. You're a naive mortal. That's why." He said. "W-why are you here? W-why do you have a body?" I asked. He lessened his grip a little. Probably so he wouldn't knock me out from a lack of oxygen before he got whatever it was he wanted. "I'm here because the Ring is here. And… this body isn't exactly real." He said. My eyes widened again in shock. He laughed. "I picked up a few tricks since we last met." He said. He threw me down. I lay there coughing and gasping for air. "But I can still possess you anytime I want." He said.  
Bakura stretched and I noticed he was wearing what appeared to be at one time a straightjacket but was nearly torn to shreds. I noticed the sleeves were lying on the ground several feet away. I looked back up at him as he walked toward me again. He reached down and grabbed my collar, hoisting me up again. "I should thank you though. I've been locked up here since the pharaoh defeated me. I had been in the Ring but when someone found it and brought it here… well I wasn't going to stand by when someone was touching what I own. I came out and they used the other items to put me in here. But now that you opened the door and brought me my Ring… I have enough power to lock them away. And I'll enjoy every minute of them." He said. Lynn ran into the room. "Please let go of him!" she cried. She kept her distance, probably remembering what happened to Hiro. Hiro himself was just starting to stand up.  
Bakura looked Lynn over. "L-Leave her alone!" I gasped. My yami smirked at Lynn. Lynn shivered her eyes wide. "Don't worry, my dear. I don't intend on hurting _him_. You and the cowboy on the other hand are up for debate." He replied. Hiro groaned, still in pain from hitting the wall. "Damned son of a bitch." Hiro said. Bakura's grin grew even more. "Strike that, I'll definitely kill the cowboy." He said. Slowly he lowered me to my feet. "The fact of the matter is, at the moment I need all of you alive." He said. "Why?" Hiro asked. My Yami crossed his arms. "_You_ I think I'll keep in case I need a distraction. Suite you, bait boy?" he said. Hiro growled. "A-and Lynn?" I asked.  
Bakura crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Then he proceeded to crack his neck by leaning his head to one side and then the other. He opened his eyes and smirked. "Boy, I've been in this Ra forsaken Ring for thousands of years. So how long do you think I've gone without looking at a woman? This one's good enough for now. Even if she is a plain, dull, whiny, green haired hag." He said. With every adjective he said, Lynn's eye twitched. Her nostrils flared and her fists clenched. A moment ago she was terrified of my yami and now… she positively looked like she was about to murder him. That is, if he wasn't already dead. Hiro quickly grabbed her arms from behind. "HAG! I'LL GIVE YOU A PLAIN DULL HAG!" Lynn roared. She struggled with Hiro, trying to get loose.  
Bakura became serious again, his face darkening and eyes… well he was terrifying to say the least. Lynn hid behind Hiro, afraid again. Bakura looked down at me. "It's time we got going. I'm tired of wasting my precious time. Now move or I'll take over your body again." He said. He smirked. "And I promise you, if I do that your two friends may not make it out sane." He said. I scrambled up. "I-I don't want to go anywhere with _him_." Lynn murmured fearfully. I went over to her and took her hand again. "It'll be alright." I whispered to her. Bakura made a gagging noise. "Enough of the mushy stuff." He ordered and headed for the door. Hiro, Lynn and I followed reluctantly. We didn't want to be in the dark, unprotected and who knows what he would have done if we hadn't followed his orders. Hiro picked up the still drugged Marik up off where he had deposited him on the floor.  
The walk down the hall was just as quiet and creepy as before. I glanced at Hiro. The low amount of light couldn't hide the look of mistrust, suspicion and loathing on his face as he glared at Bakura. I had to say I couldn't blame him. But the fact of the matter was that we needed him, probably more than he needed us. Bakura glanced back at us. He chuckled. "What happened to that annoying worm?" he asked. I looked over at Marik. "They drugged him. Pretty badly." I replied. "Damn kid can't take care of himself can he? Always needs someone to babysit him." Bakura said. I frowned. Marik wasn't a kid and he certainly wasn't helpless. None of this was his fault at all. Bakura stopped suddenly and turned toward us. He grabbed my collar again, pulling me forward. "Have something to say to me?" he said, eyes burning. I'd forgotten, he knew what I was thinking. He knew how much I loathed him and how much I hated how he treated my friends. I hated him more than anyone I'd ever met. He hurt everyone I cared about just so he could get what he wanted. He was selfish and evil. I had loved it when I had thought he was gone for good, even for the little while I had been able to do that.  
Anger burned inside me. This demon had made my life hell. Why am I just letting us be used for his own ends? Rational thoughts seem to have left me. Bakura stumbled back, letting me go. I had hit him. I had hit my Yami in the face. I should have felt afraid. Even just a little. But I felt nothing but anger and the burning desire for revenge. I rushed at him, punching him in the stomach and knocking him over. I punched him and punched him. But before I could hit him again, someone, or rather two someones, pulled me off him. I screamed like a rabid animal. "Ry! Now's not the time to lose it again!" I barely could hear Hiro say that. "W-what's wrong with him?" Lynn said. "I don't know! He shouldn't be acting like this anymore. He's off those damn pills. They shouldn't be in his system anymore. But he's going crazy anyway!" Hiro said. I struggled against the both of them but somehow they held firm. I heard Bakura laugh. It was quiet at first and then he threw his head back and laughed loudly. He looked at them a smirk on his face. "You don't get it do you? He _is_ crazy. I would know, since I'm the one who drove him there." He said.  
Bakura reached up and swiftly cracked his nose back into place. There was no blood or bruises. The realization hit me as I returned to my normal state of mind. Why didn't he bleed? I suddenly coughed, gagging on the familiar metallic taste of blood in my mouth that had dripped out of my own nose. "Ryo you're bleeding!" Lynn shrieked. Hiro let go of my arm as I reached up to wipe the red liquid away. It was still coming. Then I groaned as I suddenly felt pain all over my body. "Idiot. Did you honestly think you could hurt me when I don't even have a real body? Pathetic mortal. Maybe this will teach you, every time I'm injured, _you_ are the one that get's the pain." Bakura said as though it was the funniest thing in the world. I made a mental note to remember that fact. Hiro looked at me. "You alright now?" he said. I nodded. I really wasn't. All this time, I had hoped… I could be normal. But I couldn't. I really was insane. I felt depressed. I felt Lynn hug me tightly. I was thankful that the pain was gone, though my nose and ribs felt a little tender. I was sure I had nothing broken, thankfully. "Please don't do that again, Ryo. I don't want to see you hurt." Lynn said. I smiled at her. "Alright, I won't." I said reassuringly. Bakura snorted. Hiro glared at him. "You find this funny? You're other half is mentally unstable." He said. Bakura smirked at him. "I do. A broken light is an obedient one." He said in a low tone. Hiro looked pissed but looked like he remembered that hurting him would only hurt me.  
A gunshot echoed through the hallway, a bullet tearing into Bakura's right shoulder. He stumbled before disappearing, presumably back into the ring, which appeared around my neck. I grabbed my shoulder as pain ripped through it. "Ah!"I cried out, my knees buckling but still holding me up. Lynn and Hiro let out a startled gasp as they looked up. A second later I looked up as well, one eye shut against the phantom pain I was currently feeling in my shoulder. Unsurprisingly there was Ooishi, looking very disheveled, holding up a gun. His white hair was a mess, including his beard that was at one time kept neat. His lab coat was drizzled with blood. "This has gone on long enough!" he yelled. I snorted. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing." I said. I tried to stand up taller. "We've figured out that you were after the Millennium Items, Ooishi. You can't deny it. You imprisoned my yami and then imprisoned me, drugging Hiro and dragging Lynn here. You drugged most of your patients to meet your ends." I said. Ooishi looked at me as though I was crazy. Which at this point…. Well let's say I can't deny it. "I admit, I did drug some of my patients. Money is not easy to come by. I was despite. My operation would not pay for itself after all. However I did not want to bring the Items together. They were meant to be lost forever. Under the sands of Egypt. It was my mission to keep them hidden and cover up the events that broke out because of their recent reappearance." Ooishi said. I looked at him surprised. It was not surprising that he knew. But it was surprising that he wanted to keep the items from being used again. Ooishi lowered the gun slightly but still had it ready to shoot any of us. "My plan was to bring all the item bearers here and convince them it was all a psychological break down. All of you wanted to believe these events happened because of your traumatic pasts. You were my most promising, Ryo. I almost had you believing it. No you did believe it. But when Marik arrived. All my work was reversed." Ooishi said.  
I frowned some things weren't adding up. "Some of my patients really did need help. Hiro, when he came to me, was so angry at the world for his grandfather's death after a heart attack that he burned down his school, injuring many students and teachers." Ooishi said. I looked at Hiro. He looked at the ground. "Sorry, Ry. He's telling the truth." He said. I looked back at Ooishi. "Why Lynn? Why is she here?" I asked. Ooishi looked at her. "Her father's death triggered an ability that few mortal humans have. She could see the shadow realms magic. I had yet to figure out why as I had just gotten my hands on her. Her mother was hesitant to hand her over to a Japanese doctor after she was so unsure of the policies here. I wanted to know why she could see these things and reverse them. If I couldn't then she would have been dealt with just like you would have if my experiment failed." He said.  
My eyes narrowed. "Dealt with?" Lynn said afraid. "What were you planning to do to us, if you failed?" I said lowly. There was silence. "My god." Hiro said. He clenched his fist and took a step toward the doctor. "You were going to kill them! You were going to murder them and then cover it up! What were you going to do with them afterwards! Dump them in a river, say they ran away but died wandering around the forest around this place?" Hiro yelled in anger. I looked at Ooishi, horrified. Lynn gripped my arm harder, sobbing in fear. Ooishi took a step forward. "You don't understand! I had to! It was my job! If that magic were to get loose like it is now, then the world would be destroyed! I can't let that happen! I won't!" Ooishi said. "Your job?" I asked. Ooishi nodded. "I am a member of a group much like that of the tomb keepers. While they defended the tomb of the nameless pharaoh, we protected the world from the magic of the items. We covered up all evidence of its magic after it was unleashed. Why do you think no one questioned why so many of your friends ended up in the hospital when you still lived in England, Ryo? We covered it up. When they woke up we told them it was a rare disease. They kept quiet. Thankfully." Ooishi said. How could I have missed it? Sure his skin was paler than Marik's. It also helped when he wore those lab coats. His name was obviously fake as well.  
Lynn looked up at Ooishi, giving him the dirtiest look she could manage through the tears. "You're evil. You're the bad guy not Ryo!" she said. Ooishi's frown deepened. "You don't realize, girl. The items are evil. They have evil intent. Even if the holder is good, pure as snow that just fell in the winter, the items will taint them and make them do evil deeds until they learn to control these urges to do evil. By then it might be too late. The world will have fallen into chaos. Ryo still cannot control his darker side, Bakura, therefore he is just as guilty as he is." He said. Ooishi's expression softened a little. "I cannot blame you much boy. Your dark side is an evil unlike anyone has seen before. His soul is still a servant to the dark god Zorc. He will still strive to release the dark god again unto this world. One could say he even is the dark god's incarnate." He said.  
I looked at each one of my friends, Lynn, Hiro and Marik. There had to be something I could do to save them. "Now, give me the ring. I promise that if you do and you cooperate, give all these people back their souls, I will do all I can to persuade the others to let you live. Or at least make your death painless." Ooishi said. I gently unwound Lynn's fingers from my arm and then stepped in front of my friends. "I didn't take their souls. Neither did my yami. Someone else is doing this. Lynn and I have seen holes all over. Inside them are creatures from the shadow realm. They pull people's souls in. Whoever did this summoned them. They were around long before we got here. Lynn experienced them in her home country. Therefore neither Marik nor I could have been responsible as we were here in Japan." I said. "That may be true but I cannot take the risk." Ooishi said. I spread my arms out. I didn't care that I could die from protecting them. Somehow I held back Bakura from taking over my body. He was screaming at me and thrashing around. But somehow I was able to remain in control. "Then kill me. I'm the only one here with an Item. Marik is still passed out from the drugs you gave him. They aren't responsible and won't resist. Kill me." I said. Ooishi narrowed his eyes but did not shoot. I frowned at him, eyes wide. "What are you waiting for! Shoot me!" I yelled.  
Ooishi raised the gun. "I'm very sorry that I couldn't help you. And if this is how you wish to die… then so be it." He said. And he pulled the trigger…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten: Surprises

Lynn screamed and I knew Hiro yelled my name. I swear my heart skipped a beat as the gun fired. I closed my eyes, expecting to feel the bullet enter my head where he had aimed. Only, it never came. I opened my eyes and saw the bullet, stopped in midair as though it had hit a wall. It was frozen in place, just inches from my forehead. The bullet's head was flattened, as though it really had hit something. It suddenly fell to the ground with a clatter. The silence after was deafening. Ooishi was just as shocked as we were. I heard a faint "Heheh" from behind us. I looked over my shoulder and saw Marik on his hands and knees, one hand extended. In his hand was the Millennium Rod. How did he get it! Actually, I was more worried that wasn't really Marik. Rather, that it was his darker side. But he gave me a goofy grin that only the real Marik could manage. He then looked smugly at Ooishi. "Don't you dare ever try to hurt my friend again. Or I'll kill you." He said. Ooishi took a step back. Now he was cornered with two items staring him down. Marik was still a little weak, the drug still in his system. It looked like it was wearing down though. "Marik… how?" was all I could manage. Marik didn't take his eyes off of Ooishi. "Earlier after I'd gotten in that fight, this bastard sent me to my room. When I got there I… I remember concentrating, trying to call it to me. I'd never actually done it before but it was worth a try. This bastard must have been watching me because two of his goons came in and drugged me, dragging me off to a damn cell. He knew I was close. So when he held that gun up, I was able to call it up because I really needed it." Marik said.

That Made sense. Earlier I asked for help to get through the darkness and get my friends to safety. The Ring had come to me. I had actually called it to me. Just like my yami could, I had done. Ooishi looked panicked. He raised the gun and pulled the trigger. It only clicked. He tried again and again. Just click, click. Nothing. He was out of bullets. Evidently he must have shot several of those people turned soulless zombies to get here and then shooting my Yami left him with one bullet left. Then he had tried shooting me. Hiro helped Marik stand and Lynn once again took my arm in a bone crushing grip. Lynn ended up sobbing into my sleeve. I looked at Ooishi. "We're leaving now. We will find the one who did this and rest assured, we'll stop him." I said. Ooishi looked like he was about to have a heart attack. "NO!" He yelled. He reached into his coat and pulled out another gun. My eyes widened. Marik could stop one bullet, he didn't have the energy to stop a full cartridge of them. "I won't allow this to happen!" Ooishi screamed.

Suddenly a figure appeared out of the shadows behind Ooishi. Whoever it was, was shorter than Ooishi. They raised something over their head and brought it down. My eyes widened in shock. Lynn screamed and Hiro gagged in horror. Horror… as Ooishi's skull was split in half, the ax head lodging in his head. Ooishi fell to the floor, dead. Our savior stepped into the light. I supposed I should have been relieved but a new fear was instilled in me. It was Sakura, in her pink now blood splattered scrubs. But her eyes were dark black, red slits were the pupils were looking like a cat's eyes. I must say, I hate it when Marik is right. "Now is a good time to run." Hiro said. "Agreed." I replied. Sakura grabbed hold of the ax and yanked it out of Ooishi's skull with inhuman ability.

We turned and took off down the hallway. With protest from Marik, Hiro had slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I was running with Lynn's hand tightly in mine. "Got any plans on how we can get the hell out of here?" Hiro shouted. "Uh, I'm working on it." I said. "What about your darker self? He got any bright ideas?" Hiro said, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. I suddenly felt disconnected with my body. It kept running. Then I realized, Bakura was in control now, not me. I found myself still able to see out my eyes but I couldn't move. It was irritating but I couldn't do anything about it. "Thanks for the vote of confidence you pathetic mortal."Bakura hissed. I heard Lynn cry out as Bakura squeezed her hand more than necessary. "Yeah well you have been such a biiiig help to us so far!" Hiro yelled, again using sarcasm. I wanted to tell them both to knock it off. Fighting would not help us in the least. However, I could not as I was not in control of my body. Luckily Marik was able to tell them both off. "Shut up will you! You two bickering won't help us get out of here." Marik growled at both. He crossed his arms, the Millennium Rod tapping on his bicep. "And all it's doing is giving me a worse headache than what that damn drug is giving me now!" he said. Bakura growled. Thankfully he didn't say anything back. I supposed it was because Bakura tolerated Marik because they had at one time been allies. Though now, both seemed to not want anything to do with the other. "Wait! We can't go this way!" Lynn cried. "Why not!" Bakura growled. Lynn yanked her hand out of his grasp, stopping. Hiro and Bakura stopped. Lynn clenched her fists at her sides. "The zombies are that way!" she yelled angrily/ fearfully at Bakura. Poor Lynn was terrified of zombies it seemed.

I stumbled a bit as Bakura left me in control of my body, once again taking on the false body he had earlier. Now I was getting a headache. All this suddenly being thrust back into control of my body was a bit of a pain. But I'm not about to complain. After all, it was mine, and I really didn't want to give Bakura any ideas. "You don't have a choice! That way is the way out! Which would you rather, your "Zombies" or a vicious, and rather hungry for souls, Shadow Demon!" Bakura sneered. We all stared at him in shock, even Marik. It was no secret he didn't trust her, but he didn't have any idea she wasn't even human. "Sh-Shadow Demon?" I said. Bakura looked pissed off. I mean, really pissed off. I'd never seen him this angry, aside from when he lost to the pharaoh. "It's normally a pretty weak demon. Servant to anyone with an item and strong enough dark emotions to control them. I've used them from time to time. But not often, they're slippery little vermin who'll betray you the moment you let your guard down. They love devouring souls. However on their own they're pretty weak. This one on the other hand evolved." Bakura said. "How the hell did it evolve and why does it look human!" Hiro said. Bakura growled and glared at him. "That damned thing must have eaten enough human souls and other shadow demons to evolve so much that it can take on a human form. The real Sakura was probably killed the moment that thing took a step into your world. It works fast. Probably knows it can't make a mistake or else." He said.

Now I understood. It was so powerful that it could take on Bakura. He's afraid of it! Bakura looked like he wanted to hit me, nostrils flaring in his anger. Right, shut up Ryo. "It was that shadow demon that created those holes, right?" Lynn asked in a small voice. "Bingo. And those "things" in them are weaker shadow demons following the stronger one." Bakura said. Bakura crossed his arms. He gave Lynn a very ice cold glare. "And you, little girl, are the reason the shadow demon got that strong in the first place." He said. Everyone looked at Lynn. Well, except for Marik, who was still slung over Hiro's shoulder. Lynn took a step back. "M-me?" she exclaimed. Bakura crossed his arms. "The shadow demon must have latched onto your negative emotions and attacked those around you. It got stronger through both. The tragedy you witnessed weakened your natural ability to repel lower demons, like parasites. It latched right on to you." He said. Lynn looked crestfallen. "So it was my fault." She whispered. I attempted a glare at Bakura, though failing because as many people have told me, I cannot muster anything close to a glare. "You don't have to put it so cruelly. It's not like Lynn knew about it. It wasn't her fault." I said. Lynn looked up at me, trying to give me a weak smile. Like my glare, it too failed. "It's ok, Ryo. I understand." Lynn said. She took a deep breath. "It's no big deal." She lied.

I hated this. All of it. People, nice wonderful people were getting hurt. My new friends, the patients and people who had no idea what had gone on. Ooishi… had it coming. I somehow had convinced myself of this. Not even my optimism about people could change that. And Sakura… well as much as I hate it, she wasn't real and had fooled me a hundred percent. It was all rather depressing. "So what do we do now?" Hiro asked impatiently. Bakura strolled past him, smug look on his face. I looked at the imposing doors that we had reached without even realizing it. The "zombies" weren't pounding on them anymore. They must have moved on when they couldn't get to us. Bakura stopped right in front of the doors. He chuckled lowly. "You mortals, always being afraid." He said. The ring flashed and the doors burst open with a loud bang. They stayed open, probably now broken, stuck open. I think the rest of us forgot how to breathe momentarily. Soulless eyes were turned to us. I swore the sound was deafening, feet running toward us accompanied by moaning and groaning. If I wasn't in a state of paralyzing fear, I would have found it ironic and rather cheesy that they actually resembled and acted like zombies… minus the rotting flesh and gore. "Dark Necrofear!" Bakura called out. In front of him, the monster appeared out of a cloud of black smoke. "No!" I shouted. I grabbed his arm. "They're people! You can't attack them just because they don't have souls! They're people!" I yelled, horrified. I soon landed on my rear on the floor. I stared up at Bakura. He'd pushed me. His darkened almost red brown eyes glared down at me. He sneered. "They're in my way. Soulless or not. Anyone in my way will get destroyed." He said. I grimaced and glared at him. "How can you be so heartless?" I said. Bakura laughed. "Easily. I have no heart. Nor do I want one. Now…" he said. He turned to the advancing "zombies". "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he shouted. And I looked away.


End file.
